Vaccine hoax stampede injures three Cameroon students

Local media in Cameroon's South-West region have announced how a stampede resulted after a fake-coronavirus vaccination rumor was circulated in a school.

Three students were injured according to a daily newspaper, the Guardian Post. The paper added that the injured were under "medical observation." The incident took place on Friday, February 19, 2021.

“The injuries were recorded in the wake of a stampede as many struggled to escape a rumoured Covid-19 vaccination campaign,” an excerpt of the article in the newspaper read.

Cameroon is due to receive over 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines under the COVAX facility. According to the initial forecast published by COVAX, the Central African country was due to receive AstraZeneca vaccines from the Serum Institute of India, AS/SII.

So far, all African countries that have received vaccines are prioritizing health workers, people with pre-existing conditions and in the case of Equatorial Guinea, workers at border posts of the country.

Skpeticism for vaccines remain high among different populations across the continent. According to the African Union, AU; it was hoping to facilitate the vaccination of 60% of Africans in the next two years.

Cameroon virus statistics as at February 23, 2021:

33,749 = Total confirmed cases
1,864 = Active confirmed cases
31,362 = Recovered
523 = Deaths