Ethiopia Reports 169 New COVID-19 Cases; One Death

ADDIS ABEBA – Ethiopia has recorded 169 additional COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total confirmed cases to 1, 805.

The new cases were reported out of 5798 laboratory tests. The Health Ministry, in its daily report on Friday, said today’s positive cases consist of 111 males and 58 females with their age ranging from 1 to 79 years.

Among the cases which include one United States citizen, 138 patients are identified from Addis Ababa, the epicenter of the disease in Ethiopia.

Oromia (11) Amhara (6), Somalia (5), Tigray (4), SNNP (4) Harari (1) regional states also identified the remaining COVID-19 cases.

The ministry attributed the rise in the number of COVID-19 patients in the capital to the presence of community transmission.

“The number of cases that have no travel history to abroad and no known contact with a confirmed case has been increasing in Addis Ababa as well as other regions,” the ministry said.

“Anyone of us can be the next person to acquire COVID-19,” said the ministry. “But we can prevent it if we act now”.

– One death reported –

On Friday, health officials also reported one death report due to the virus as well as twelve recoveries.

Today’s report described the deceased as a 35-year-old female Ethiopian national. The test came back positive following a forensic investigation on her body, according to the ministry.

“We would like to pass our condolences t her families,” said Minister of Health Dr. Lia Tadesse.

Currently, 1522 patients are being treated at various COVID-19 medical centers in the country.
Eighteen of them are “in severe condition”, said the ministry.

The report also said 12 patients from Amhara (10) and Benshanul-Gumuz have recovered from the disease.

Ethiopia has conducted a total of 131, 368 COVID-19 tests so far with 19 deaths & 262 recoveries.