Ethiopia coronavirus: 287 cases, IOM reports 10,000 repatriated migrants

05/15/2020 Ethiopia, Health, Science, World



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May 15: 287 cases, returnees reach 10,000 – says UN

Total confirmed cases = 287 (new cases = 15)
Total recoveries = 112 (new recoveries = 4)
Total deaths = 5
Active cases = 168

All new cases involve men. Seven with travel history, seven with confirmed case contact and one without contact with a confirmed case. Most of them were from Addis Ababa.

The UN migration agency has told the BBC that approximately 10,000 undocumented immigrants have returned to the country, most of them from the Middle East, since Covid-19 was declared a global pandemic.

According to the International Organization for Migration (OIM), the pandemic has had a serious impact on their efforts to ensure the safe passage of migrants.

“The return must be done in a way that ensures that migrants stay healthy throughout the process. Therefore, we have to implement measures that we normally would not implement.

“Our position is very clear that large migratory movements across borders in a pandemic context are not advisable,” said Maureen Achieng.

The figure includes 11 young people who survived a tragedy in March that claimed the lives of dozens in Mozambique as they traveled to South Africa in a shipping container in the back of a truck.

They were released from an isolation center on Wednesday where they were being held and are expected to join their families in the coming days.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed held a meeting today with religious leaders in the country, attended by leaders of the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches, as well as the Islamic Council of Ulama.

OIM report by BBC

May 14: 272 cases, registration for one-day tests

Total confirmed cases = 272 (new cases = 9)
Total recoveries = 108
Total deaths = 5
Active cases = 157
24-hour testing = 3,580
Total tests so far = 45,278

The nine cases are Ethiopian, five men and four women. Five of them are from Addis Ababa and the remaining four from Jigjiga in the Somali region.

Two of the nine new patients have no history of traveling abroad or have no known contact with the confirmed case, four have a history of traveling abroad; and the remaining 3 have come into contact with infected people.

According to the private portal Addis Ababa, 3,580 tests represent the highest one-day test since The first infection was registered on March 13..

May 13: 263 cases, arrests for convicted masks

As of May 13, two more people tested positive for COVID-19-19 raising the total number of confirmed cases to 263.

Two other patients also recovered, and the total number of recoveries was 108. The number of deaths remains five. 148 patients were under treatment.

In the space of 24 hours, 2,650 laboratory samples were collected from hotel and non-hotel quarantines, the community, the location of contacts, and health facilities for analysis.

Police in the capital Addis Ababa began an operation to force the use of face masks, and eventually arrested more than 1,300 people in the process.

On May 6, the city’s Transportation Authority ordered passengers using minibuses to wear face masks beginning Friday, May 8. Masks are also a key security measure under current state of emergency regulations.

In reaction to development, head of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, EHRCDaniel Bekele described the arrests as, among others: “arbitrary, disproportionate and counterproductive”.

The arrests “should stop immediately and all detainees should be released immediately,” an official statement quoted him as saying.

May 12: 261 cases, President Sahle-Work speaks

Ethiopia’s case count reached 261, the health ministry announced Tuesday. The figure includes 11 new cases. The death toll is five, while 106 people have recovered. Leave 148 active cases.

President Sahle-Work Zewde has called for global solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In a recorded message posted on Facebook, the only female president in Africa said the virus was attacking the world and that the world needed to unite against it.

“It has wreaked havoc on communities around the world. Our lifestyle has been completely disrupted. Hundreds of thousands of people have died. Millions have lost jobs. Trillions of dollars have been lost.

“This crisis is different. Suddenly we are in the same boat. As much as individualism and nationalism are visible, it has revealed the ability of people to support each other and build solidarity with the weakest among us. We have seen the heroic team of medical personnel and many others. “She is stressed.

He reiterated his support for the United Nations Call for Solidarity and added: “Let’s be clear. It is not about charity or generosity. I support the appeal for solidarity of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. No choice. This is a global crisis. Delay in action means death. “

May 10: 239 cases, Abiy appreciates US support

On Sunday, May 10, there were 29 new cases, bringing the national total to 239. Of the new patients, 21 had been in contact with confirmed cases, the remaining eight have a history of travel from abroad.

Addis Ababa represented 21 cases, while the Somali region had 7, and Adama in the Oromia region had only one case.

Ethiopia’s overall count at the end of May 9 was 210. With 16 new cases reported Saturday by authorities.

Prime Minister Abiy thanked the United States government on Saturday for its support in helping the country combat the COVID-19-19 pandemic.

“I appreciate the multifaceted support that the United States government is providing to #Ethiopia to mitigate the adverse effects of # COVID19. It is through associations and collective leadership that we will all win, ”he published on social networks.

Washington announced a $ 37 million package covering case management, infection prevention and control, laboratory strengthening, public health assessment, and media and communication campaigns, among others.

“As we have done time and time again, the United States will continue to support others during their time of greatest need. the COVID-19-19 pandemic is no different. And both during and after this crisis, we will stand by our Ethiopian friends and partners to help build a brighter future for all Ethiopians, “US Ambassador Michael A. Raynor said last week.

May 7: Tigray’s first cases bring the count to 191

The Tigray region in northern Ethiopia reported four cases of COVID-19-19, the first in the region. The figure moves the total for Ethiopia to 19 cases.

Confirmation of the cases came after Health Minister Lia Tadesse released Thursday’s file for the country. Official statistics indicate 187 cases.

An official said 85 samples had been analyzed over a 24-hour period, which returned the four positive cases. Take the new cases on Thursday from 25 to 29.

Tigray became the first regional state to obtain test facilities outside the capital Addis Ababa. The state also reported that it undertook community-based tracking weeks ago.

Despite a federal state of emergency, Tigray recently relaxed a similar measure he had implemented before Prime Minister Abiy, and the cabinet declared a five-month state of emergency.

May 7: Record one-day jump leads to 187

Ethiopia for the second consecutive day confirmed a record one-day increase in cases. A total of 25 cases in the last 24 hours brought the national count to 187, the Minister of Health revealed Thursday.

The 25 people were Ethiopians, 21 of them are in Addis Ababa with two each in the SNNPR and Oromia 88 people are in treatment with one person in the Intensive Care Unit.

The deaths are still 4 with 93 recoveries. The number of tests carried out in the last 24 hours was 1,843. The total evidence from the index case is 28,360. People have started asking on social media if it is not yet time for a complete blockade across the country.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the cabinet declared a five-month state of emergency. It is supervised by a Council of Ministers.

Constitutional issues surrounding the postponed polls continue to draw harsh conversations from stakeholders, especially from opposition sectors. Abiy in a speech today said that the government will do everything possible to protect the constitutional order in the country.

It comes days after the ruling party in the northern Tigray region, TPLFHe said that he will continue with the elections despite the fact that the process is officially canceled by the electoral body.

May 6: Registration of 17 new cases brings the case count to 162

Ethiopia recorded its highest peak in a single day with 17 new cases confirmed today, bringing the national count to 162. More than 1,300 samples were analyzed during the period, authorities confirmed.

Of the 17, seven have a history of travel from Djibouti, the most affected nation in the region. Six arrived from Somalia while the remaining four have no travel history. All 17 are in mandatory quarantine centers in the Afar and Somali regions.

Records indicate that Afar and Somali are emerging as new epicenters of the virus, with 13 and 17 cases respectively. Two more recoveries brought the count to 93.

May 3: Afwerki in town for a 2-day visit

The case count reached 135 with two new infections out of 1,560 tests. Additionally, 6 more Dire Dawa patients have recovered, bringing the recovery count to 75.

There is no patient in the Intensive Care Unit; with 55 patients in the isolation / treatment center. Ethiopia has so far conducted 22,330 laboratory tests.

Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki arrived in Addis Ababa for a two-day official visit. He left Asmara on Sunday morning for a meeting intended to touch three areas.

Bilateral ties, COVID-19-19 response and invasion of locusts, as well as regional problems, revealed the Minister of Information of Eritrea on Twitter.

Photos from the meeting shared by Prime Minister Abiy showed Afwerki sitting in a public restaurant together with his host and President Sahle-Work Zewde. Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn also attended.

May 1: Ethiopia recoveries approve active cases

Ethiopia registered two new cases in more than 900 tests carried out at the end of April 30. The first counts in May were 133, according to Health Minister Lia Tadesse. The two new cases were Ethiopian. One with a history of travel from Kenya and the other Somalia.

According to today’s records, Ethiopia recorded seven more recoveries, bringing the count to 66 from the previous 59. The figure is four more than the number of patients currently under treatment.

The patients are in the isolation / treatment center at Eka Kotebe Hospital in the capital Addis Ababa. The registered deaths are still maintained at three moments while there are no patients in the Intensive Care Unit, ICU.

Ethiopia has recorded single-digit increases in the past seven days compared to the double digits of some of its neighbors in the East and Horn of Africa region. A total of 15 cases were registered in total between April 24 and 30.

April 23: Tigray region relaxes state of emergency

North Tigray regional state, the first to declare a COVID-19-19 state of emergency has announced a relaxation of the measure, reported the regional information team.

According to the state council, the declared state of emergency at the end of March is now expected to last three months.

Explaining the rationale for the current move, Regional Vice President Debretsion Gebremichael said that despite not being infected to date, the region had conducted an intensive door-to-door investigation in recent weeks to detect any early symptoms of the virus.

He added that 23,000 professionals had been deployed and had covered 1.5 million homes in the process. The 33 suspected cases detected were negative, hence the decision to relax the emergency rule.

Under the relaxed regime, officials will return to work as the interstate movement resumes. Bars and restaurants may open, but serve customers to go.

Since April 12, the region has implemented a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals at its main airport, Alula Aba Nega, the private airport. Addis Standard reported citing a BBC Amharic report. Quarantine measures remain in place, along with prohibitions on social gatherings.

Meanwhile, all operations that are now permitted by law must be carried out within strict limits of social distancing and observance of others. COVID-19-19 prevention protocols. The state was also the first to obtain a testing center.

Ethiopia is currently under a five-month state of emergency declared earlier this month to combat coronavirus (COVID-19-19) pandemic. The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed declared the measure that lawmakers approved on April 10.

Abiebie Adanech, Attorney General, revealed that the SOE unlike the previous ones, it is supervised by the Council of Ministers and the ministerial subcommittees, which will be established periodically.

Ethiopia’s case count as of April 24 was 117, an increase of one from the previous count. The number of recoveries reached 25 after 4 new patients recovered in the last 24 hours. Ethiopia has so far made a total of 11,669.

The new patient is a 60-year-old Ethiopian woman with a history of travel from England and is currently in mandatory quarantine.

April 23: Ethiopia records zero cases in 24-hour period

Ethiopia did not record new cases of COVID-19-19 for the first time since April 2, Health Minister Lia Tadesse said Thursday.

All 965 tests conducted over a 24-hour duration were negative. The case count remains at 116. There have been 21 recoveries with three deaths. 90 patients remain in treatment centers.

The ministry statement added that zero positive results “do not indicate a decrease in COVID-19-19 in Ethiopia, but showed that the examined individuals were not infected with the virus. “

April 20: cases reach 111, all new cases in Dire Dawa

The case count as of April 20 had reached 111 according to today’s health minister Lia Tadesse’s update. Ethiopia crossed the 100 mark weekend.

The three cases registered in the last 24 hours were registered in the authorized city of Dire Dawa with patients between 11 and 18 years old. Two of them had a history of travel from Djibouti.

To date, Ethiopia has 90 patients in treatment centers. The death toll remains three with 16 recoveries. A patient is in intensive care.

East / Horn of Africa best results

  • Djibouti – 846
  • Mauritius – 328
  • Kenya – 270
  • Tanzania – 170
  • Somalia – 164
  • Rwanda – 147
  • Ethiopia – 111

April 17: Cases close to 100, Chinese doctors arrive to help

Chinese doctors arrived in Ethiopia on Thursday to support government efforts in the fight against COVID-19-19 pandemic. Another group is in Burkina Faso with the same purpose.

China’s state-run global television network reported their departure on Thursday and revealed that they had been grouped together from Sichuan province and Tianjin municipality.

They will share experiences, provide guidance and technical advice on epidemic prevention in the two countries, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Nigeria was the first African country last week to receive a Chinese delegation, while South Africa also confirmed that it would seek Chinese help to combat the pandemic.

“China’s team of pandemic medical experts arrived in Ethiopia today to share their extensive experience in # COVID19 prevention and control and deliver urgently needed medical supplies. My sincere gratitude for the solidarity that was witnessed at this crucial moment, “Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse tweeted.

Experts specialize in various areas, including general surgery, epidemiology, respiratory, infectious diseases, critical care, clinical laboratory, and integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

The team also carries urgently needed medical supplies, including protective equipment and traditional Chinese medicine that has been effectively proven by clinical practice, the reports noted.

The team will also cooperate and exchange views with the African Center for Disease Control and who office in Ethiopia.

April 14: cases reach 82, Bill Gates donates to Addis Ababa city manager

Ethiopia COVID-19-19 file as of April 14 has 82 cases (eight new cases) with three deaths and 14 recoveries. The total number of tests is 4,557. Active cases are 63, which represents about 77% of registered cases.

Ethiopian COVID-19-19 Case updates

Meanwhile, the Addis Ababa City Administration has announced a commitment of 200 million birr from the Gates Foundation. The news was revealed by Mayor Takele Uma-Banti via Twitter. The city has been the most affected in the second most populous nation in Africa.

Of the eight new cases, five are Ethiopian and the other three are Eritrean, Somali and British citizens. All but 1 have a history of traveling abroad or contacts with previous patients, the minister revealed in a daily briefing.

“My most sincere thanks to the Gates Foundation for making a 200 million birr commitment to our city! You are a genuine partner and this will go a long way in building our defenses against the spread of # COVID19 and the greatest impact of this pandemic in our communities, ”he added.

Health Minister Lia Tadesse also announced that the accommodation of health professionals received a boost after a local real estate giant took advantage of a new apartment block for three months to house workers.

“My deep thanks to Noah Real Estate for generously handing over their new apartment for three months as a residence for our healthcare professionals fighting COVID19 (en) Ethiopia,” the minister tweeted.

April 13: Cases reached 74, increase in regional tests, fans expected

Ethiopia COVID-19-19 files as of April 13 have 74 cases with three deaths and 14 recoveries.

The country is seeking to increase its fan reserves, according to Health Minister Lia Tadesse. She revealed to local media that the acquisition of 400 fans was ongoing. She said Ethiopia had 435 fans at last count, many of which were dysfunctional.

As a result of the COVID-19-19 pandemic, another 122 fans were imported. Weeks ago, a private hospital conducted training for doctors on how to use life-saving respiratory devices, which are currently a hot cake worldwide given their central role in saving patients with acute conditions of coronavirus.

Minister Lia is also quoted as stressing that the health professionals who serve COVID-19-19 patients will receive life insurance.

Prime Minister Abiy also announced via Twitter that local production of facial masks was ongoing in an industrial park. According to him, companies at Hawasa Industrial Park were currently producing 10,000 face masks per day, and production is expected to expand to 50,000 per day.

Meanwhile, regional testing of the virus got a new boost after a laboratory came into operation at the University of Haramaya, near the city of Harar, over the weekend. The coordinator of the laboratory, Dr. Nega Assefa, said that if all the inputs are available without problems, the laboratory has the capacity to analyze 384 samples every 2 hours.

Mekelle University in the Tigray region became the first outside of Addis Ababa to have a testing laboratory weeks ago. At the end of last week, Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region, started testing for COVID-19-19.

The test started at the region’s Institute of Public Health and had the capacity to perform 100 tests daily. The region said at the time that it was working to expand similar works to 3 cities: Gonder, Dessie and Debre Birhan.

April 11: cases reach 69, doctors join virtual training, Abiy donates

As of April 11, cases in Ethiopia had reached 69, according to updates from Health Minister Lia Tadesse. The number of new cases was four, three of which had a travel history. 54 patients remain in treatment while recoveries have reached 10. Three deaths and two repatriations complete the fact sheet.

Meanwhile, the first China-Africa webinar was held on Friday with exchanges between an Ethiopian team and counterparts from a Chinese university. The session was facilitated by the Jack Ma Foundation.

The foundation posted on Twitter: “Knowledge is power! Yesterday we organized our first COVID-19-19 China-Africa GMCC webinar The 2nd Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang Univ. joined the Ethiopian Minister of Health, St. Paul’s Hospital and more than 20 Ethiopian hospitals online. More webinars with Rwanda, Zimbabwe and others! ”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zenash Tayachew have made donations to the Addis Ababa city administration. The donated food supplies were to help the city administration mitigate the impact of COVID-19-19 supporting the vulnerable.

April 10: MPs approve state of emergency

The Ethiopian Parliament today approved the declared five-month state of emergency to combat the coronavirusCOVID-19-19) pandemic.

The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday declared the measure to control the spread of the virus and reduce its impact in the country.

Ethiopia’s current figures are 56 confirmed cases, of which four have recovered and two have died. Two of the patients have been repatriated weeks ago.

Abiebie Adanech, Attorney General, revealed yesterday that the COVID-19-19 State of emergency (SOE) will be supervised by the Council of Ministers and the ministerial subcommittees, which will then be established when necessary.

The previous State of Emergencies has been overseen by Command Posts (CP), which have often been accused of serious abuse of rights, including selective arrests and the use of lethal force against people believed to be ignoring the orders.

April 9: Ethiopian courts to hear cases of domestic violence

The Chief Justice of Ethiopia revealed on Thursday that federal courts will hear domestic violence cases arising from the stay-at-home order caused by a state of emergency declaration on Wednesday, April 8.

CJ Meaza Ashenafi revealed the move on Twitter: “Considering the possibility of an increase in domestic violence during the #StayAtHome period, a decision is made for federal courts to consider domestic violence charges as a type of urgent case.”

On March 18, the federal courts announced the partial shutdown as a means of containing the spread of the coronavirus. Courts will not accept new files, except in cases that require urgent attention. On April 1, the shutdown was extended for another 23 days.

The government imposed a five-month state of emergency on the entire territory, the most severe measure to date for the second most populous nation in Africa. All land borders had been closed, and most regional states had strict bans on public transportation.

Ethiopia COVID-19-19 counts as of April 9 at noon local time was 55 cases with four recoveries and two deaths. The figure is relatively low for a region where neighbors had reported more than 100 cases.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, raised the incidence of the increase in gender-based violence amid blockades around the world in a recent speech calling for more to be done to stop the threat.

April 8: Declared state of emergency, First Lady sings

The Ethiopian government has imposed a five-month state of emergency in the wake of efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19-19. A statement issued by the Attorney General’s office says constitutional rights will be suspended. Implementation of the emergency rule begins today.

La mayoría de las regiones del país habían prohibido la operación de la mayoría de los medios de transporte público, incluida la capital Addis Abeba, que es el epicentro del virus en el país.

La región norteña de Tigray ya había declarado el estado de emergencia en un momento en que no habían registrado casos. La región también es la primera en obtener capacidad de prueba fuera de las instalaciones nacionales en Addis Abeba.

El recuento nacional al 8 de abril fue de 55 con tres nuevos casos de la última ronda de pruebas. Mientras tanto, el gobierno dice que ha preparado 645 casas para ser entregadas a profesionales de la salud que ayudan a pacientes con COVID19.

600 casas adicionales están en preparación. La ministra de Salud, Lia Tadesse, reveló además que el ministerio está trabajando arduamente para proporcionar equipo de protección personal obtenido a través de apoyos y compras.

En otras noticias, la Primera Dama Zinash Tayachew, aparte de las recientes donaciones para la lucha contra el coronavirus, ha lanzado una canción gospel que busca la intervención divina en la batalla contra la pandemia.

En la canción de 6 minutos de duración, aboga por “la misericordia de Dios” mientras el mundo continúa las batallas contra el coronavirus. La canción fue lanzada el martes y se titula Maren, una palabra amárica que significa “ten piedad de nosotros”. La primera dama canta en un escenario con una cruz detrás de ella en un punto arrodillado y rezando por “Dios no abandone a su pueblo”.

La canción no se refiere directamente al virus, pero tiene frases como “no nos abandonen durante este tiempo cuando el mundo está aterrorizado por las malas noticias”. Originalmente cargado en el identificador de YouTube de un funcionario de Joyce Girma, ha acumulado más de 6,000 visitas en el momento de la publicación de este artículo.

READ PLUS: PM de Etiopía aplaudió por mostrar afecto públicamente a la Primera Dama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6GTHQC_GCs

6 de abril: Addis Abab reubicará el mercado principal, registraron muertes

La Administración de la Ciudad de Addis Abeba ha anunciado que reubicará temporalmente un famoso centro de retraso, el mercado Atikilit Tera, en un espacio abierto a partir de mañana 7 de abril.

Atikilit Tera tiene fama de ser el mayor mercado de frutas y verduras de la ciudad. Su población se mudará a un espacio abierto en Jan Meda, dijo el alcalde de la ciudad, Takele Uma. La reubicación se implementará con “disciplina estricta”, agregó.

Las autoridades de la ciudad han emprendido una serie de medidas destinadas a combatir la pandemia que ha infectado a 44 personas, según las últimas cifras del Ministerio de Salud.

Etiopía también registró las primeras muertes por la enfermedad durante el fin de semana. “La paciente ingresó el 2 de abril y estaba bajo estricto seguimiento médico en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos”, dijo la ministra Lia Tadesse sobre la primera víctima, una mujer de 60 años. La segunda víctima, un hombre etíope de 56 años, había estado en ICU por tres días.

Mientras tanto, los líderes religiosos – Iglesia Ortodoxa, Islámica – han declarado 30 días de ayuno y oraciones. Los líderes se reunieron con la administración municipal del domingo.

“Estos tiempos inexplorados requieren una inmensa cantidad de unidad y humildad. Estoy seguro de que a medida que estemos a la altura de este desafío, Dios seguramente mostrará su Misericordia. Que Dios bendiga a nuestra gente ”, publicó el alcalde en Twitter después de la reunión.

April 3: Ethiopia cases reach 35, Jack Ma donation distributed

Confirmed cases of the virus have reached 35 in Ethiopia with six new cases being the highest rise since the first case was recorded last month.

Ethiopia’s current tally is relatively low as compared to other countries in the region like Kenya and Rwanda with 122 and 84 respectively. There is a general ban on movement and restriction on public gatherings in the different regional states.

The federal government is leading the virus response. All land borders were closed last week as a containment measure. Cases have been concentrated in Addis Ababa with Oromia and Ahmara region as well as Dire Dawa having recorded cases.

Ethiopia races to bolster ventilator stockpile for coronavirus fight

In four years as a doctor in Ethiopia, Rediet Libanos has used a mechanical ventilator just once: on a patient who suffered a haemorrhagic stroke a few months ago.

But as the country braces for a potential surge in coronavirus, the 28-year-old and many of her colleagues are scrambling to master the workings of the breathing machines, which buy time for critically-ill patients.

During a training this week in Addis Ababa, Rediet and six other doctors got a refresher on how to optimise oxygen volume and pressure for patients whose lungs are failing, practicing first on a green rubber dummy organ before visiting clinics to see ventilators in action.

Though Ethiopia has reported only 29 cases of COVID-19-19, two of them critical, Rediet expects the country will soon see an onslaught of patients for whom ventilation could mean the difference between life and death.

“I will be on the front lines of that, so I need to be skilled in how to use this machine,” she told AFP.

Yet even as doctors study up on ventilation techniques, Ethiopia’s government — like others in Africa — is confronting a stark ventilator shortage that could hobble its COVID-19-19 response.

In a country of more than 100 million people, just 54 ventilators — out of around 450 total — had been set aside for COVID-19-19 patients as of this week, said Yakob Seman, director general of medical services at the health ministry.

By comparison, the US state of New York, the current centre of the pandemic, has said it could need tens of thousands of ventilators for a population of around 20 million.

The Ethiopian health ministry’s own “worst-case scenario” modelling predicts the country will require around 1,500 ventilators for COVID-19-19 patients by the end of April, Yakob said.

With producers overwhelmed by orders from around the globe, it’s not at all clear how this gap will be bridged, he said.

“I’m really worried about a shortage,” Yakob said. “This is not because of the commitment of the government or lack of will, but because of lack of resources.”

AFP

April 1: Tigray is first regional state with COVID-19-19 lab

Northern Tigray region has become the first regional state in Ethiopia to have a COVID-19-19 testing lab. This development comes at a time when the state has no confirmed case of the coronavirus pandemic.

Reports indicate that the medical facility is as a result of cooperation between Mekelle University and the Tigray Health Bureau and Tigray Health Research Institute. The lab started work on April 1 in the presence of region’s Vice President Debretsion GhebreMichael.

President of the university noted that the institution had the support of the Ethiopia Public Health Institute, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

This is the second “lead” since Ethiopia recorded a case last month. Tigray declared a state of emergency and near lockdown days before other states followed suit.

Ethiopia currently has 29 confirmed cases of the virus according to the Ministry of Health. Government has shut all land borders except for essential imports coming in. Cases have been recorded in capital Addis Ababa, Oromia and Amhara regional states and in Dire Dawa, a chartered city.

April 1: Close places of worship: Orthodox church follows Islamic council

Barely twenty-four hours after the Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, EIASC, announced cessation to all prayers in mosques, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, EOTC, announced a similar measure.

The church’s Holy Synod at a press briefing on Wednesday said as of tomorrow followers of the Church, the largest in Ethiopia, should pray from home and only a limited number of priests should conduct prayers inside churches.

The Holy Synod also decided that all premises of spiritual colleges, Sunday schools and other facilities under EOTC should be designated to serve as isolation centers for COVID19 suspected patients in the event of the possible spread. The church also donated 3 million birr to contain the virus.

March 31: Al-Amoudi donates towards COVID-19-19 fight

Ethiopia-born Saudi billionaire, Mohammed Ali Al-Amoudi has made the biggest private donation yet to coronavirus combat in Ethiopia.

He donated the sum of 120 million birr (about $3.6m) to the Addis Ababa city administration on Tuesday. Ethiopia as of midday March 31 had 25 confirmed cases of the virus. Transport has been banned in most parts of the country as government moves to curb spread.

Infections have so far been recorded in the capital Addis Ababa, and in the oromia and Amhara regional states.

Al-Amoudi who is owner of a mining firm Mohammed International Development Research and Organization Cos., MIDROC.

He was arrested on corruption related charges by the Saudi government back in 2017 but was released in early 2019 after the active intervention of Prime Minister Abiya Ahmed Ali.

Amoudi, in his 70s, became a multi-billionaire investing first in construction, agriculture and mining in Ethiopia, where he was born, and then purchasing oil refineries in Morocco and Sweden. Forbes valued his fortune at more than $10 billion in 2016.

March 30: Ethiopian regions ban transport

Four regional states in Ethiopia have imposed a ban on transport as part of coronavirus containment measures. The regions are northern Tigray region (which has declared a state of emergency since last week.), Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region.

Prior to the last weekend, cases were recorded only in Addis Ababa. Oromia recorded two cases on Saturday whiles the first two in Amhara region were recored on Monday.

The federal government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed closed all land borders even as the national flier, Ethiopian, continues a very scaled down operations of passenger flights concentrating more on freight.

The country currently has 23 confirmed cases out of which two have since been repatriated. Authorities say contact tracing efforts are underway whiles quarantined persons continue to be tested.

March 29: Ethiopia reports cases outside Addis Ababa

Ethiopia at close of day March 29 had reported 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19-19. An increase of five over the weekend. Three on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Of the three cases on Saturday, one was recorded in the capital Addis Ababa and two in the town of Adama located in the Oromia region. It is the first reported case outside of the capital since the first cases was confirmed earlier this month.

“The other two cases are a 14 year old male and 48 year old female who are members of a family who resides in Adama town. They had history of contact with previously confirmed case. They were under medical follow up since the confirmation of the close contact and tested positive on March 28th 2020,” a statement from the Ministry of Health read in part.

Out of close to 900 tests, Ethiopia has recorded 21 cases, a recovery with two of the confirmed cases having been repatriated to their countries.

Meanwhile more details are emerging from the state of emergency imposed by the Tigray regional state. Among other measures, coffee houses, cafes and juice houses shall be closed.

Anyone who travelled out of Tigray in the past 20 days shall be tested. Anyone who enters Tigray after shall be tested and put under supervision. All house rents shall be halved over the period.

March 26: Tigray region imposes state of emergency

Ethiopia’s northern Tigray regional state on Thursday, March 26, announced a region-wide state of emergency as a means of combating the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tigray Mass Media Agency said the decision was reached a day after the regional state council met and agreed on the decision which has implications on movement and on social activities.

Under the 15-day emergency rule: all travels within the state is banned. There is also a ban on social activities such as weddings and other festivities which could lead of large gatherings. Markets are also to be closed.

More details are expected to be released later. The federal government has closed all land borders as per the decision of an inter-ministerial COVID-19-19 committee led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

As at March 25, Ethiopia had confirmed 12 cases with all cases in the capital Addis Ababa. The figure is out of about 500 tests overall. It is woefully minimal as compared to South Africa’s over 15,000 tests that have turnd out 704 confirmed cases.

March 22: Ethiopia shuts land borders, impose more restrictions

Ethiopia will deploy the army to halt the movement of people along all borders, with the exception of incoming essential goods to the country, this is one of eight new measures being implemented by the federal government in the wake of the coronavirus spread.

Prime minister Abiy Ahmed on March 23 met with heads of the security sector for deliberations aimed at containment of the pandemic. The group he met today are the security sub-committee of the National Ministerial Committee.

Aside shutting land borders, a series of enforcement measures were announced relating to regulations on large gatherings and social distancing. Public transports are to avoid overcrowding whiles businesses will be checked in line with normal pricing of essentials.

Government offices have been tasked to employ adequate safety measures for employees whiles seeking home options for other employees. The security forces – army and police – are to undertake internal preparations for enforcement of the relevant rules.

March 20: Ethiopian suspends flights to 30 countries

State-affiliated FBC reports that Ethiopian airlines (Ethiopian) has suspended flights to 30 countries due to coronavirus (COVID-19-19), effective from Friday March 20.

At the beginning of the outbreak, Ethiopian maintained a decision to stick to its China route at a time most African airlines had suspended operations to and from the country. Ethiopia currently has nine confirmed cases and tests are being run on hundreds of suspected cases.

According to journalist Samson Berhane, CEO of the company, Africa’s most profitable and expansive, confirmed that they had made losses of up to $190 million. “We ll probably face the biggest crisis in the history of aviation in Ethiopia,” Tewolde Gebremariam said.

the FBC report adds that Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed had announced that all passengers arriving in Ethiopia from COVID-19 -19 affected countries will be quarantined for 14 days, with all cost to be covered by themselves. Uganda has a similar rule in place.

Night clubs are to remain closed whiles government is set to release a category of prisonser. Specifically inmates who have children, and whose probationary period is drawing to an end plus those in detention for minor crimes, the PM added.

On the subject of religious institutions, Abiy said they had been tasked to take all necessary measures towards the implementation of a robust mechanism to prevent the spread of the virus.

March 19: Ethiopians must join world not stigmatize others – Minister

Ethiopia’s Health Minister says the coronavirus pandemic was not related to any country or nationality, she said it as a “test against humanity” which required Ethiopians to join the world to defeat.

“#COVID19 is not related to any country or nationality. It is a test against all humanity. We should fight it together and defeat it. I call upon all my fellow Ethiopians to join hands with the world to fight this global challenge,” her post on Twitter read.

It is believed to be connected to a United States Embassy statement that alerted to rising anti-foreigner sentiments in parts of the country.

The embassy cautioned that foreigners were being targeted with the accusation that they were infected with Covid-19, the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.

In a security alert said as at March 18, the embassy: “continues to receive reports regarding a rise in anti-foreigner sentiment.”

Typical derogatory comments such as “China” and “ferengi” (a reference to foreigners) have been “reportedly coupled with the label ‘corona’, indicating a disparaging view on the link between the outbreak of Covid-19 and foreigners in Ethiopia,” it added.

“Reports indicate that foreigners have been attacked with stones, denied transportation services… being spat on, chased on foot, and been accused of being infected with Covid-19,” the embassy added.

Ethiopia recorded its first case last week of a Japanese national. The cases have risen to six, the sixth being of a British diplomat. Health authorities said they were testing over 900 people for the virus as part of contact tracing efforts connected to confirmed cases.

Across Africa, there is a view that most confirmed cases have been imported largely from Europe. Most index cases were of either European nationals or of Africans with recent travel history to Europe. There are sixteen deaths so far, as at March 19.

U.S. president Donald Trump has been under fire on Twitter for referring to the coronavirus as “The Chinese Virus.” Most people have called the reference racist especially with the who cautioning against tagging a global malady with a certain category of people.

March 16: Ethiopia’s COVID-19-19 rules: Crowd ban, free transport, regulate essentials etc.

Ethiopia confirmed the fifth coronavirus case on Monday (March 16), a day after it had recorded an increase of three in addition to the index case that was recorded last week.

The office of the Prime Minister issued a statement surrounding key measures taken by government to safeguard public safety and orderliness.

the COVID-19-19 National Ministerial Committee at its second meeting led by PM Abiy agreed on a number of measures aimed at addressing containment and potential spread of the virus.

It announced a 10-point measure that was set to last “for the next two weeks, subject to further assessments,” the statement read. the measures included wide-ranging public bans, social interventions and regulating of economic activities propped up by the pandemic.

  • Large gatherings including sporting events had been banned whiles small gatherings required clearance from the Health Ministry.
  • All educational institutions with the exception of higher learning institutions were to be closed.
  • Religious institutions and places of worship are tasked to limit gatherings
  • A national hygiene and preventive measures movement launched from federal level to local levels
  • Government announced allocation of budget for distribution of masks, soap, alcohol solutions and other items in critical locations.
  • Government buses are to be availed free of charge to help control crowding in public transport. Special buses designated to take public servants to work. Private transporters are also asked to follow suit.
  • Trade ministry to monitor and act against businesses engaging in price-gouging
  • Special attention to be paid to the elderly.
  • Volunteers tasked to compliment government education, prevention efforts.

“The Prime Minister calls upon all to maintain calm and equip themselves with accurate information from the Ministry of Health.

“Citizens are asked to maintain strong hand hygiene and avoid (ing) unnecessary physical contact in line with Ministry of Health guidelines,” the statement concluded.

PM Abiy over the weekend disclosed that he had reached a partnership with Chinese e-commerce founder Jack Ma for an Africa wide supply of key coronavirus materials including masks, testing kits and literature.



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