Infographics

Africa records over 500 000 COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 infections in Africa today surpassed 500 000, and there is concern as a growing number of countries are experiencing a sharp rise in cases. So far, in less than five months, the virus has claimed 11 959 lives, overtaking the 11 308 lives lost in the world’s worst Ebola outbreak in West Africa between 2014 and 2016.

Update COVID-19 08 July 2020

08 July 2020 — Twenty-two (22) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 2644 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, one hundred and ninety-four (1194). To date, six hundred and ten (610) patients have recovered and been discharged, including fifteen (15) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is five hundred and eighty-one (581) and three (3) deaths. 

Update COVID-19 07 July 2020

07 July 2020 — Fifty-nine (59) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 2871 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, one hundred and seventy-two (1172). To date, five hundred and ninety-five (595) patients have recovered and been discharged, including twenty (20) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is five hundred and seventy-four (574) and three (3) deaths. 

Tracking progress to improve immunization and essential health services for children...

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation has finalized an internal evaluation of its Child Health and Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) covering all districts. The appraisal looked at progress on set targets for 2019 and first quarter of 2020, implementation challenges and the capacity of the Programme for effective service delivery at national, district and health facility levels. Being the mainstay of every child survival in Sierra Leone, the Child Health EPI is one of the biggest health service delivery programmes in the country that provides lifesaving health services to an estimated 1.5 million children under 5 years as well as maternal health services to pregnant mothers.

Zanzibar updates its IDSR guidelines

Many public health events and emergencies and their associated risk factors could be prevented, or their effects mitigated. However, the health systems in most countries remain inadequate. To avert and mitigate the effects of health security risks and emergencies, countries are urged to implement Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) guidelines. These guidelines recommend thresholds for action on priority diseases, public health events and conditions and for responding to alerts. Using these action thresholds can be lifesaving.

Update COVID-19 06 July 2020

06 July 2020 — Eight (8) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 2834 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to one thousand, one hundred and thirteen (1113). To date, five hundred and seventy-five (575) patients have recovered and been discharged, including eight (8) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases remains five hundred and thirty-five (535) and three (3) deaths.