1. WHO Africa

Infographics

Enhancing capacity for laboratory diagnosis for COVID-19 at Beitbridge District Hosp...

When WHO, National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) and Medsure Healthcare teams reached Beitbridge, 640km from Harare, twelve laboratory personnel from Beitbridge Hospital had already tested more than 6000 samples for COVID-19. The tests were done using a GeneXpert machine with cartridges for COVID-19 testing and Real Time- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, similar to the rapid testing kit used for HIV. GeneXpert machines are normally used to diagnose tuberculosis.  
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Update COVID-19 24 July 2020

24 July 2020 — Nineteen (19) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 2491 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, seven hundred and twenty-nine (1729). To date, nine hundred (900) patients have recovered and been discharged, including eleven (11) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is eight hundred and twenty-four (824) and five (5) deaths. 

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Over 10 000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) today warned of the threat posed by COVID-19 to health workers across Africa. More than 10 000 health workers in the 40 countries which have reported on such infections have been infected with COVID-19 so far, a sign of the challenges medical staff on the frontlines of the outbreak face.
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Update COVID-19 23 July 2020

23 July 2020 — Twenty-one (21) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 5534 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, seven hundred and ten (1710). To date, eight hundred and eighty-nine (889) patients have recovered and been discharged, including twenty-two (22) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is eight hundred and sixteen (816) and five (5) deaths. 

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Using experiences from the Polio Programme in the response to  COVID-19 Pandemic in ...


  Many frontline workers are putting their lives on-the-line in the response to COVID-19 Pandemic.  They put their lives at risk daily, tasked with the critical mission of controlling the spread and mitigating the impact of this pandemic. Mrs. Berhane Beyene is one of those heroines with the mission-essential task of keeping laboratory surveillance and detection of COVID-19 in motion. 

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Update COVID-19 22 July 2020

22 July 2020 — Thirty-four (34) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 4613 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, six hundred and eighty-nine (1689). To date, eight hundred and sixty-seven (867) patients have recovered and been discharged, including nineteen (19) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is eight hundred and seventeen (817) and five (5) deaths. 

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Update COVID-19 21 July 2020

21 July 2020 — Twenty-six (26) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 7039 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, six hundred and fifty-five (1655). To date, eight hundred and forty-eight (848) patients have recovered and been discharged, including ten (10) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is eight hundred and two (802) and five (5) deaths. 

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WHO, Africa CDC in joint push for COVID-19 traditional medicine research in Africa

In a joint effort to enhance research and development of traditional medicines for COVID-19 in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) today launched an expert advisory committee/panel to provide independent scientific advice and support to countries on the safety, efficacy and quality of traditional medicine therapies.
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Sierra Leone on the ready to reopen airport to passenger flights

Sierra Leone’s International Airport will reopen to commercial flights effective 22 July 2020 exactly four months after it was closed to all international passenger flights due to the COVID19 pandemic. Some of the initial measures before closure of the airport included travel restrictions and mandatory quarantining of passengers arriving into the country. These measures would help to delay importation of the virus until 31 March when Sierra Leone reported its first positive COVID-19 case.
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COVID-19 response in Rwanda: Use of Drones in Community awareness

During the first phase of lockdown that started on 21 March in Rwanda, the Government of Rwanda observed that some of the densely populated neighbourhoods and high-risk zones were not respecting very well COVID-19 preventive measures as it was difficult to reach them by prevention awareness messages. 

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