Africa secures another 400 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Another 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been secured for the African continent through the Serum Institute of India, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

With the new doses, on top of the 270 million doses announced earlier this month from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, “I think we’re beginning to make very good progress," Africa CDC director John Nkengasong told reporters. He said the new doses were announced in a meeting hosted by South Africa's president on Wednesday.

An Africa CDC spokesman said the 400 million doses are of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. As with many vaccine deals, there were no immediate details on cost or how much people might pay per dose.

Parts of the African continent are seeing a strong resurgence in coronavirus infections, which Nkengasong called “very aggressive.” He warned that the wave has not yet peaked.

Africa’s case fatality rate of 2.5% remains above the global one of 2.2%, and 14 of Africa’s 54 countries have case fatality rates above 3%. The continent has more than 3.4 million confirmed virus cases, including more than 87,000 deaths.

The continent of 1.3 billion people is racing to obtain enough vaccines for the goal of vaccinating 60% of its population to achieve herd immunity, and officials have repeatedly urged rich countries that have stockpiled vaccine doses to take an equitable approach and share.

Africa also is expected to receive some 600 million doses via the global COVAX initiative aimed at helping low-income countries. In a separate briefing Thursday, Richard Mihigo with the World Health Organization told reporters there is a “very, very good prospect this objective to supply up to 600 million doses by the end of 2021 will...