Coronavirus cases continued to soar in Africa as they slowed elsewhere in the world for the sixth week in a row, according to an AFP database, throwing vaccine inequalities starkly into the spotlight.

The number of new daily Covid-19 cases globally dropped by 16 per cent to around 390,800 last week, according to an AFP toll on Thursday.

The pandemic slowed by more than a quarter in Asia, while Europe saw 18pc fewer new cases.

But cases rose by 28pc in Africa — the only region where there was an increase this week.

Nearly three quarters of the new cases were recorded in five countries: Egypt, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa, which has officially entered a third wave.