The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 8 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, but many other cases are undetected.
Africa's COVID-19 infection level might be up to 59 million people, the World Health Organization estimates, as only one in seven infections across the continent are being detected, the Associated Press reported.
However, a new study by the World Health Organization estimates the number of infections to be around seven times higher, with many undetected due to limited testing. The initiative is a"radically" new approach that shifts from passive to active surveillance by working with communities, said Moeti. The rapid tests are affordable, reliable and easy to use and will provide results within 15 minutes, she said. An additional 360,000 cases are expected to be detected by using the tests, with approximately 75 percent of them being asymptomatic or mild, she said.