Africa could see 300,000 coronavirus deaths this year

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Africa could see 300,000 deaths from the coronavirus even under the best-case scenario, according to a new report that cites modeling by the Imperial College London.

Under the worst-case scenario with no interventions against the virus, Africa could see 3.3 million deaths and 1.2 billion infections, the report by the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa says.

Even with “intense social distancing” under the best-case scenario the continent could see more than 122 million infections, the report says.

Any of the scenarios would overwhelm Africa’s largely fragile and underfunded health systems, experts have warned.

The continent as of Friday had more than 18,000 confirmed virus cases, but experts have said Africa is weeks behind Europe in the pandemic and the rate of increase has looked alarmingly similar.