Congo president says Kinshasa hospitals 'overwhelmed' by coronavirus

Published
0

President Felix Tshisekedi has said hospitals in Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa are "overwhelmed" by a rise in Covid-19 infections, as the country is facing a third wave of the coronavirus, Reuters reports.

"I am going to take drastic measures to deal with this upsurge of the disease. We're talking about the Indian variant in particular," Tshisekedi told reporters, referring to the Delta variant, which was first discovered in India and is highly infectious.

He did not specify what measures he planned to take.

"You know very well that the AstraZeneca vaccine has been and continues to be problematic, both in terms of side effects but also in terms of trust with the population," Tshisekedi said.

African Union President and President of Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi. — Reuters
African Union President and President of Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi. — Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Yemen offensive
Updated 04 Oct, 2026

Yemen offensive

The best option, therefore, is for Muslim and Arab states to help restore the Saudi-Houthi ceasefire.
Growth transition
04 Oct, 2026

Growth transition

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent call to move from stabilisation to growth, job creation and export ...
Protection at risk
04 Oct, 2026

Protection at risk

THE recent warning from UNHCR should alarm donor governments. Nearly 8.3m refugees and other forcibly displaced...
Talks, at last
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

Talks, at last

The government’s constant threats to suspend KP’s elected dispensation over a political protest have escalated hostilities considerably. In that context, both sides did well to start talking.
IWT’s future
Updated 03 Oct, 2026

IWT’s future

TOGETHER with the Kashmir dispute, India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has become the biggest...
Pained minds
03 Oct, 2026

Pained minds

IN Pakistan, mental healthcare is wedged between two extremes — a luxury or a stigma. Estimates cited by the...