EC Clinical and Medical Case Reports

COVID-19 needs no introduction: screening, social distancing, wearing masks or face coverings, proper hygiene, and an overwhelming and incomprehensible barrage of daily data, numbers, and statistics. However, how reliable are the data, especially data from, arguably, the second most populated continent in the world, Africa? It is quite possible, even likely, that the COVID-19 data from Africa are misrepresented, under-reported, and unreliable due to various reasons put forth in this paper. Until a cure or vaccine for COVID-19 is developed, the world’s best strategies to combat this pandemic are based on vital and crucial data. Thus, the data should be as accurate as possible. The apparent under-reporting of COVID-19 data from Africa is leading to a false sense of success and security, whereas in reality, Africa may be poised to be the next flashpoint for a second or third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords:  Coronavirus; COVID-19; Incidence; Mortality; Reporting

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