Nine, including South Africa, Morocco and Tunisia, had reached the 10% goal at the beginning of September and another six managed to sprint ahead to reach the target this month due to rising vaccine deliveries.

Results show that high levels of preparedness and resilience should not be equated with low vulnerability.

COVID-19 cases are declining slightly but remain stubbornly high.

Almost 100 million children have been vaccinated against polio since July 2020, after activities were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccine shipments seem to be taking off but Africa is encountering headwinds.

—Benedict Okey Oramah, President of Afreximbank and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund.

—Benedict Okey Oramah, President of Afreximbank and Chairman, Board of Trustees of the African Union COVID-19 Response Fund.

The first time Africa has undertaken a continent-wide procurement of this magnitude, the vaccines are sufficient to immunise a third of the African people.

Over 6400 deaths were recorded, a 2% rise compared with the previous week.

The rise in vaccine shipments comes as Africa sees its second week of falling case numbers after a steep and unbroken eight-week surge.