Congo holds 21st national meeting on COVID-19 management

The 21st meeting of the National Coordination for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic was held via videoconference under the authority of President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The session focused on reviewing the Task Force's 21st report and discussing subsequent recommendations.

Minister of State Alphonse Claude Nsilou presented epidemiological data, noting that as of May 18, 2021, the global situation remained concerning with over 162 million confirmed cases and 3.3 million deaths. In Africa, there were approximately 4.6 million confirmed cases and 126,161 deaths, representing a lethality rate of 2.69%.

The report highlighted that while the African continent remains resilient, it is not immune to new variants, with three African countries having already recorded mutant strains. Furthermore, the report noted significant challenges in vaccine access, stating that while 1.5 billion people globally had received a first dose, only 2% of the African population had been vaccinated.