Ethiopia Coronavirus: 135 cases, Afwerki in town on official visit

05/04/2020 World



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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 for 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 undergone extensive door-to-door testing 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.

The region, since April 12, 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 force along with prohibitions on social collection.

Meanwhile, all operations that are now permitted by law must be carried out within the 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 then be established on a regular basis.

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 a 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 period were negative. Therefore, 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.

The state-owned China Global Television Network reported their departure on Thursday, revealing 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.

“The China 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 thanks 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 files as of April 14 have 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 accommodate 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 looking to increase its ventilator 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 the 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 cited for highlighting 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 in the Hawasa Industrial Park were currently producing 10,000 face masks per day, and production is expected to expand to 50,000 per day.

Regional testing of the virus, meanwhile, 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, capital of the Amhara region, started testing for COVID-19-19.

The test began 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 Ethiopia’s 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 coronavirus (COVID-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 be established later as the case may be.

The previous state of emergencies has been overseen by command posts (CP), which have often been accused of serious abuse of rights, including targeted 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: “Given 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 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.

Most regions of the country have banned the operation of most forms of public transport, including the capital Addis Ababa, which is the epicenter of the virus in the country.

The northern Tigray region had already declared a state of emergency at a time when no cases had been registered. The region is also the first to obtain test capacity outside of national facilities in Addis Ababa.

The national count as of April 8 was 55 with three new cases from the last round of testing. Meanwhile, the government says it has prepared 645 houses to be handed over to health professionals who help patients with COVID19.

600 additional houses are in preparation. Health Minister Lia Tadesse further revealed that the ministry is working hard to provide personal protective equipment obtained through supports and purchases.

In other news, First Lady Zinash Tayachew, in addition to recent donations to fight the coronavirus, has released a gospel song seeking divine intervention in the battle against the pandemic.

In the 6-minute song, he advocates “God’s mercy” as the world continues the battles against the coronavirus. The song was released on Tuesday and is titled Maren, an Amharic word meaning “have mercy on us.” The first lady sings on a stage with a cross behind her at a kneeling point and praying “God do not abandon his people”.

The song doesn’t directly refer to the virus, but it has phrases like “don’t abandon us during this time when the world is terrified of bad news.” Originally uploaded to the YouTube ID of a Joyce Girma official, it has garnered more than 6,000 views at the time of this article’s posting.

READ PLUS: Ethiopian PM applauded for publicly showing affection to First Lady

April 6: Addis Abab to relocate main market, reported deaths

The Addis Ababa City Administration has announced that it will temporarily relocate a famous delay center, the Atikilit Tera Market, in an open space starting tomorrow, April 7.

Atikilit Tera is reputed to be the largest fruit and vegetable market in the city. Its population will move to an open space in Jan Meda, said city mayor Takele Uma. The relocation will be implemented with “strict discipline,” he added.

City authorities have launched a series of measures aimed at fighting the pandemic that has infected 44 people, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health.

Ethiopia also recorded the first deaths from the disease over the weekend. “The patient was admitted on April 2 and was under strict medical follow-up in the Intensive Care Unit,” said Minister Lia Tadesse of the first victim, a 60-year-old woman. The second victim, a 56-year-old Ethiopian man, had been in ICU for three days.

Meanwhile, religious leaders – Orthodox, Islamic Church – have declared 30 days of fasting and prayers. The leaders met with the municipal administration on Sunday.

“These unexplored times require an immense amount of unity and humility. I am sure that as we rise to this challenge, God will surely show His Mercy. May God bless our people, ”the mayor posted on Twitter after the meeting.

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

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

Ethiopia’s current count is relatively low compared to other countries in the region such as Kenya and Rwanda at 122 and 84 respectively. There is a general prohibition of movement and restriction in public meetings in the different regional states.

The federal government leads the response to the virus. All land borders were closed last week as a containment measure. Cases have been concentrated in Addis Ababa with Oromia and the Ahmara region, as well as Dire Dawa who have reported cases.

Ethiopia vies to bolster fan pool to fight coronavirus

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

But as the country prepares for a possible increase in the coronavirus, the 28-year-old and many of her colleagues are struggling to master the operation of breathing machines, which buy time for critically ill patients.

During a workout this week in Addis Ababa, Rediet and six other doctors received an update on how to optimize oxygen volume and pressure for patients whose lungs are failing, first practicing on a simulated green rubber organ before visiting clinics to see fans in action.

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

“I’m going to be on the front line of that, so I need to be an expert on how to use this machine,” she said. AFP.

However, even as doctors study ventilation techniques, the Ethiopian government, like others in Africa, faces a shortage of fans that could hamper their operation. COVID-19-19 answer.

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

In comparison, the US state of New York, the current center of the pandemic, has said it may need tens of thousands of fans for a population of about 20 million.

The Ethiopian Health Ministry’s “worst case” model predicts that the country will need around 1,500 ventilators to COVID-19-19 patients by the end of April, Yakob said.

With producers overwhelmed by orders from around the world, it is unclear how this gap will be closed, he said.

“I am really concerned about the shortage,” Yakob said. “This is not due to government commitment or lack of will, but due to lack of resources.”

AFP

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

The northern Tigray region has become the first regional state in Ethiopia to have a COVID-19-19 testing laboratory. This development comes at a time when the state does not have a confirmed case of the coronavirus pandemic.

Reports indicate that the medical facility is the result of cooperation between Mekelle University and the Tigray Health Office and the Tigray Health Research Institute. The laboratory began operating on April 1 in the presence of the region’s vice president, Debretsion GhebreMichael.

The university president noted that the institution had the support of the Ethiopian Institute of Public Health, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

This is the second “leader” since Ethiopia registered a case last month. Tigray declared a state of emergency and almost days closed before other states followed suit.

Ethiopia currently has 29 confirmed cases of the virus according to the Ministry of Health. The government has closed all land borders except essential imports. Cases have been reported in the regional states of the capital Addis Ababa, Oromia and Amhara and in Dire Dawa, an authorized city.

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

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

The church’s Holy Synod at a press conference on Wednesday said that starting tomorrow, followers of the Church, the largest in Ethiopia, should pray from home and only a limited number of priests should pray within churches.

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

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

Ethiopian-born Saudi billionaire Mohammed Ali Al-Amoudi has made the largest private donation to fight the coronavirus in Ethiopia.

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

Infections have so far been reported in the capital Addis Ababa and in the regional states of Oromia and Amhara.

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

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

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

March 30: Ethiopian regions ban transportation

Four regional states in Ethiopia have imposed a transport ban as part of the coronavirus containment measures. Las regiones son el norte de la región de Tigray (que ha declarado un estado de emergencia desde la semana pasada), Oromia, Amhara y las naciones del sur, las nacionalidades y la región de los pueblos.

Antes del último fin de semana, los casos se registraron solo en Addis Abeba. Oromia registró dos casos el sábado, mientras que los dos primeros en la región de Amhara se registraron el lunes.

El gobierno federal dirigido por el primer ministro Abiy Ahmed cerró todas las fronteras terrestres, incluso cuando el aviador nacional, Etiopía, continúa con operaciones muy reducidas de vuelos de pasajeros que se concentran más en la carga.

El país tiene actualmente 23 casos confirmados de los cuales dos han sido repatriados desde entonces. Las autoridades dicen que los esfuerzos de búsqueda de contactos están en marcha mientras las personas en cuarentena continúan siendo evaluadas.

29 de marzo: Etiopía informa casos fuera de Addis Abeba

Etiopía al cierre del día 29 de marzo había reportado 21 casos confirmados de COVID-19-19. Un aumento de cinco durante el fin de semana. Tres el sábado y dos el domingo.

De los tres casos del sábado, uno se registró en la capital Addis Abeba y dos en la ciudad de Adama, ubicada en la región de Oromia. Es el primer caso reportado fuera de la capital desde que se confirmaron los primeros casos a principios de este mes.

“Los otros dos casos son un hombre de 14 años y una mujer de 48 años que son miembros de una familia que reside en la ciudad de Adama. Tenían antecedentes de contacto con casos previamente confirmados. Estuvieron bajo seguimiento médico desde la confirmación del contacto cercano y dieron positivo el 28 de marzo de 2020 ”, decía en parte una declaración del Ministerio de Salud.

De cerca de 900 pruebas, Etiopía ha registrado 21 casos, una recuperación con dos de los casos confirmados que han sido repatriados a sus países.

Mientras tanto, están surgiendo más detalles del estado de emergencia impuesto por el estado regional de Tigray. Entre otras medidas, se cerrarán cafeterías, cafeterías y jugos.

Cualquier persona que haya viajado fuera de Tigray en los últimos 20 días será examinada. Cualquier persona que ingrese a Tigray después será examinada y puesta bajo supervisión. Todas las rentas de la casa se reducirán a la mitad durante el período.

26 de marzo: la región de Tigray impone el estado de emergencia

El jueves 26 de marzo, el estado regional de Tigray, en el norte de Etiopía, anunció un estado de emergencia en toda la región como un medio para combatir la pandemia de coronavirus.

La Agencia de Medios de Comunicación Tigray dijo que la decisión se tomó un día después de que el consejo estatal regional se reuniera y acordara la decisión que tiene implicaciones en el movimiento y en las actividades sociales.

Bajo la regla de emergencia de 15 días: todos los viajes dentro del estado están prohibidos. También hay una prohibición de actividades sociales como bodas y otras festividades que podrían llevar a grandes reuniones. Los mercados también deben estar cerrados.

Se espera que se publiquen más detalles más adelante. El gobierno federal ha cerrado todas las fronteras terrestres según la decisión de un interministerial COVID-19-19 comité dirigido por el primer ministro Abiy Ahmed.

Al 25 de marzo, Etiopía había confirmado 12 casos con todos los casos en la capital, Addis Abeba. La cifra está fuera de aproximadamente 500 pruebas en general. Es lamentablemente mínimo en comparación con las más de 15,000 pruebas de Sudáfrica que han arrojado 704 casos confirmados.

22 de marzo: Etiopía cierra las fronteras terrestres, impone más restricciones

Etiopía desplegará al ejército para detener el movimiento de personas a lo largo de todas las fronteras, con la excepción de los bienes esenciales que ingresan al país, esta es una de las ocho nuevas medidas implementadas por el gobierno federal a raíz de la propagación del coronavirus.

El 23 de marzo, el primer ministro Abiy Ahmed se reunió con los jefes del sector de seguridad para deliberar sobre la contención de la pandemia. El grupo que conoció hoy es el subcomité de seguridad del Comité Ministerial Nacional.

Además de cerrar las fronteras terrestres, se anunciaron una serie de medidas de aplicación relacionadas con las regulaciones sobre grandes reuniones y el distanciamiento social. 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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