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    Re: A shocking statistic Archived Message

    Posted by margo on September 29, 2020, 2:03 pm, in reply to "A shocking statistic"

    Corrections to the BBC perception of - and sweeping statements about - the vast continent of Africa:
    Previous Message
    "Younger, less dense populations and hot, humid climates are being cited as key reasons why the continent has been spared a higher number of cases."


    Africa has very dense populations: Nigeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Malawi, Zambia - what is the BBC talking about?
    South Africa has about 10 densely-populated cities as well as other teeming areas, which count residents in the millions. In overcrowded township/slum areas, isolation essentially did not happen, because of density.

    Climate is not 'hot and humid' across all of southern Africa, despite northern perceptions of steamy jungles inhabited by tigers.
    In SA, for example, only the specific areas of eastern coastal and north-eastern escarpment areas could be described as 'hot and humid'.
    Rest of the country has cold winters, cool nights all year and hot and very dry (rather than humid) conditions, during summers.

    The only part of that BBC sentence that seems applicable is the reference to younger populations, because that's true.
    Old people (in SA, at least) do not stay in care homes but are nested within poverty-stricken family structures where they help look after children, grow vegetables and cook; are (usually) respected for their wisdom and often nursed on death-beds with love and care (in best-case scenarios, where respect for the aged (on their way to join revered 'ancestors') has survived.

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