Since the Omicron coronavirus variant was first discovered in South Africa on November 24, 2021, the Covid-19 strain has been detected in 19 countries and regions including those in Asia, Europe and North America. Amid growing fears about how the new variant will impact the pandemic fight, China has promised 1 billion vaccine doses to help African nation’s vaccinate 60 per cent of the continent’s population by 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping made the pledge via video link from Beijing in a speech to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation on November 29. China has already provided more than 1.7 billion doses to more than 110 countries and organisations. Only 7 per cent of Africa’s population has been fully vaccinated so far, and the World Health Organization has warned that uneven vaccine distribution could lead to more coronavirus variants emerging.
