Report of the Regional Director - Timeline
Report of the Regional Director - 2021 - Timeline
Timeline of key events
2020
1 JULY
423 000 COVID-19 cases and 12 500 deaths reported on the African continent, including 321 000 cases and 8400 deaths in the WHO African Region.
25 AUGUST
The WHO African Region is certified free of wild poliovirus.
27 AUGUST
Togo eliminates human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem, becoming the first African country validated by WHO.
31 DECEMBER
2.7 million COVID-19 cases and 64 400 deaths reported on the continent, including 1.9 million cases and 41 500 deaths in the Region.
2021
10 JANUARY
Seychelles becomes the first country on the African continent to start COVID-19 vaccination.
FEBRUARY
Unlinked outbreaks of Ebola declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea.
24 FEBRUARY
Ghana receives the first international shipment of COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility.
25 MARCH
Côte d'Ivoire eliminates human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem.
20 APRIL
The Gambia eliminates trachoma as a public health problem, the second country in the Region to do so, after Ghana in 2018.
MAY-JUNE
Outbreaks of Ebola declared over in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea – swiftly contained in around three months.
30 JUNE
More than 50 million people vaccinated against COVID-19 in the WHO African Region. More than 4 million cases and 10 000 deaths reported to date on the continent, including 3 million cases and 6000 deaths in the Region.