South Africa registers 26,000 COVID cases in a day due to low vaccination rates

As South Africa battles its third deadly wave of COVID-19 infections since the start of the pandemic last year, it recorded around 26,000 new cases of infections on Saturday, taking the place of its second-highest record ever. The country’s population largely remains unvaccinated against the disease.

The situation in South Africa does not seem to improve significantly, while it faces constant potholes while fighting COVID-19. The medical services of the country have been overworked and overburdened with the rising infection numbers, according to reports from Reuters. 

Moreover, a substantial number of hospitals remain understaffed with a heavy shortage of beds for providing treatment to the infected. This has forced the authorities to issue orders which impose a partial lockdown to prevent further spread. 

According to the data available on the country’s Department of Health on Saturday, South Africa has so far recorded more than two million cases of COVID-19, out of which at least 61,500 have resulted in fatalities.

On the other hand, only 5% of South Africa’s population has been vaccinated so far. The single-digit inoculation rate accounts for only 3.3 million, according to reports from Reuters.

 In a pre-existing deficit of COVID-19 vaccinations around the world, South Africa was forced to dispose off more than two million doses of contaminated and compromised Johnson & Johnson vials earlier this year. Even though the authorities have attempted to replace these doses, the supply has been tight.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called out the concentration of resources and tagged the situation as “vaccine apartheid”, according to reports from Reuters.

On Saturday, South Africa approved the Sinovac, a Chinese-produced vaccine for COVID-19, as multiple reports suggest the jab has useful efficiency.

A similar situation has erupted in Russia recently as the country battles the deadly Delta variant. Russia reported its fifth record for daily COVID-19 deaths in a row on Saturday, as countries around the world rushed to contain the rapid spread.