World Health Organization has said that there are 19 potential COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials.
WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, disclosed this in a series of tweets on Thursday night.
It added that South Africa is the first country on the continent to start a clinical trial with the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg testing a vaccine developed by the Oxford Jenner Institute in the United Kingdom.
The vaccine is already undergoing trials in the United Kingdom and Brazil with thousands of participants.
Globally, there are 19 potential #COVID19 vaccines currently in clinical trials. South Africa is the first African country to start a clinical trial, with @WitsUniversity testing a vaccine developed by Oxford Jenner Institute. Trials for the vaccine are ongoing in UK & Brazil. pic.twitter.com/Euv5KDZxUn
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 9, 2020
The South African Ox1Cov-19 Vaccine VIDA-Trial is expected to involve 2000 volunteers aged 18 to 65 years and include some people living with HIV.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa , Dr Matshidiso Moeti said;
“Africa has the scientific expertise to contribute widely to the search for an effective #COVID19 vaccine,” says Dr @MoetiTshidi.
African researchers have helped develop vaccines for common health threats in the Region such as meningitis, Ebola & yellow fever. pic.twitter.com/bdsIAkKjYU
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 9, 2020
She commended South Africa for participating in the first COVID-19 vaccine trial in the African region.
Dr @MoetiTshidi: “I commend South Africa for participating in the first #COVID19 vaccine trial in the African Region. I encourage more countries to join these trials … there are nearly 150 COVID-19 vaccine candidates, including 19 in clinical trials.”
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 9, 2020
Speaking on the equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine when one is produced, Tshidi expressed;
Dr @MoetiTshidi on equitable access to a #COVID19 vaccine:
“We have seen movement around this, with leadership by African Heads of State and facilitated by the @_AfricanUnion & the launch of the Consortium for #COVID19 Vaccine Clinical Trials.”
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 9, 2020
She stressed that;
Dr @MoetiTshidi: “A successful #COVID19 #vaccine will be a global public good – to ensure it reaches everyone in need, will require strong health systems & global solidarity.”
— WHO African Region (@WHOAFRO) July 9, 2020
As at Thursday midnight, total coronavirus infections toll in Africa was 546,417, with 12,532 causalities.
South Africa, being the epicentre of their virus in Africa, had a total of 238,339 infections.
Egypt comes second, having 79,254 cases, while Nigeria recorded 30,748 confirmed infections nationwide.
