The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa reached 7,136,140 as of Thursday afternoon, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

Staff members work at the mass COVID-19 vaccination center inside the Cape Town International Convention Center ahead of its opening, in Cape Town, South Africa, July 6, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Africa CDC, the specialized healthcare agency of the African Union, said the death toll from the pandemic stands at 179,986 while 6,217,218 patients across the continent have recovered from the disease.

South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Ethiopia are the countries with the most cases in the continent, according to the Africa CDC.

In terms of the caseload, southern Africa is the most affected region, followed by the northern and eastern parts of the continent, while central Africa is the least affected region in the continent, according to the Africa CDC.