Virus cases in North Africa drop after summer peak

Weeks after a spike in coronavirus cases overwhelmed intensive care units across North Africa with severe oxygen shortages sparking public anger, the number of cases is dropping sharply.

Here is an overview of the situation in the four Maghreb countries – Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Libya – based on official figures collected by AFP.

Tunisia

Images of intensive care units overwhelmed with Covid patients in July sparked outrage in Tunisia, which has suffered the highest number of per capita deaths from the virus in the region, with around 24,500 out of a population of 11, 7 million inhabitants.

At its peak, the latest wave recorded more than 55,000 new infections between July 7 and July 13, a weekly figure seven times the current rate. The past seven days have seen 342 deaths from the virus – just a fifth of the toll from the last week of July.

Authorities responded to the outbreak with a strict early evening curfew and travel restrictions. Neighboring Libya has closed its border with Tunisia. These measures are now relaxed.

“There is the effect of mass vaccination of the population,” said Hechmi Louzir, director of the Institut Pasteur in Tunis, member of the country’s scientific committee on the pandemic.

He told AFP that up to 60% of the population could be fully vaccinated by October, adding that a large number of infections had also boosted immunity levels.

AFP figures show that over the past week, Tunisia vaccinated its population faster than any other African country, with 0.81% of the population per day receiving a vaccine.

More than a quarter of Tunisians are now fully vaccinated.

Morocco

Morocco has recorded 13,800 deaths from Covid in its population of around 36 million, according to AFP figures.

The kingdom is ahead of its Maghreb neighbors in terms of vaccinations, with 46.7% fully vaccinated.

Morocco has seen a surge in infections after relaxing the curfew and opening its borders to travelers in June. This allowed Moroccans from European countries hard hit by the highly contagious Delta variant to return home for the summer vacation.

A new wave of Covid cases in early August prompted Moroccan authorities to impose a new curfew and restrictions on travel and gatherings. By FADEL SENNA (AFP / File)

The workload has skyrocketed, with some 70,000 new cases in a week in early August. Authorities responded by imposing a new curfew and restrictions on movement and gatherings.

Health ministry official Abdelkrim Meziane Bellefquih said this week that infections were down for a fifth week in a row. But in comments by the official MAP news agency, he warned that “high rates of critical cases and deaths continue to be recorded.”

The country has postponed the start of the school year to October 1 and has launched a vaccination campaign among adolescents.

Algeria

With an official death toll of 5,650, Algeria announced in September the goal of vaccinating 70 percent of its 43.9 million inhabitants by the end of the year.

But AFP figures show that this week just 13% of the population had received a first vaccine, with less than 10% fully vaccinated.

The country’s case count peaked in the last week of July with more than 10,000 infections, but has since fallen.

While the first week of August recorded 268 deaths, the last seven days recorded 132.

Authorities maintained a curfew but reopened beaches, entertainment venues and sports grounds, with spectators required to present health passes. Weddings remain banned, as do political demonstrations.

Algeria relaunched international flights in June after a suspension of more than a year.

Libya

Libya closed its border with Tunisia in July following the deadly increase in cases in its northwest neighbor, but reopened it on Friday after the number of cases declined. By FATHI NASRI (AFP / File)

Libya, where state institutions have been degraded by a decade of conflict, has officially recorded 4,500 Covid deaths among its seven million inhabitants.

Like his neighbors, he has reported a spike in infections followed by a sharp drop in recent weeks.

In the last week of July, it recorded 24,000 new cases and 204 deaths, but the past seven days have seen only a third of that number of infections and 83 deaths.

The divided country’s vaccination campaign got off to a slow start but on August 11 a center was opened in the capital Tripoli, with another in the east of the country 10 days later – followed by a series of smaller ones.

An AFP tally shows that just over 18% of Libyans have received a first blow.

But the vaccines – China’s Sinovac and Russian Sputnik V – arrived in irregular batches, and only 2% of Libyans received both full doses.

Libyan health officials noted a drop in infections in the west after the border with neighboring Tunisia was closed on July 8.

The border reopened on Friday with strict health measures in place to prevent a further increase in cases.

Authorities fear eastern Libya will see a similar increase as cases rise in neighboring Egypt.