Sharjah24 – AFP: Seriously ill Covid-19 patients in African countries are more likely to die than those on other continents, which could be because of a lack of critical care equipment, a study published Friday said.
Africa's populations have so far been less badly hit by the pandemic than other regions when it comes to total number of cases and deaths -- but the authors suggest the mortality rate of those who do get sick could be even higher than their figures suggest because of a lack of data.
"Our study is the first to give a detailed and comprehensive picture of what is happening to people who are severely ill with Covid-19 in Africa," Bruce Biccard from Groote Schuur Hospital and the University of Cape Town said in a statement.
"Sadly, it indicates that our ability to provide sufficient care is compromised by a shortage of critical care beds and limited resources within intensive care units," Biccard, who co-led the research, added.
The study followed 3,000 coronavirus patients admitted to intensive care units across 10 African countries between May and December last year.
Almost half of them died within 30 days of admission.
When the researchers compared their findings with corresponding studies from other continents, they found the mortality rate was lower elsewhere.
On average 31.5 percent of critically ill patients died after admission to intensive care in Asia, Europe and the Americas, compared to 48.2 percent in African countries.
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