Ethiopia Records 485 New COVID-19 Cases, 7 Deaths
ADDIS ABEBA – Ethiopia has reported 485 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country thus far to 93, 343.
The cases were identified from more than 7000 people tested in the past twenty-four hours, the Ministry of Health said in its daily Covid-19 report.
The ministry also said 7 more patients of COVID-19 have passed away on the day, thereby increasing the death toll to 1, 426.
There are now 44, 372 active cases in the country while the number of hospitalization increases by 33 from what it was reported on Saturday. Health officials noted that at least 339 patients severely ill and are currently getting medical attention in Covid-19 health centers.
On the same day, at least 701 patients recovered from the respiratory disease recuperated, according to the Ministry. The latest figure has taken the number of recoveries in the nation thus far to 47, 543.
The disease peaked in the country toward the end of August, but it’s difficult to know the true picture because testing has been also scaled back due to limited resources. To date, the East African country has conducted more than 1.44 million laboratory tests.
Face Mask still Key
Concerned by citizens’ lax behavior after the lifting of the state of emergency, the attorney general’s office devised a new law could jail people for up to two years if they deliberately violate restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The restrictions prohibit shaking hands, not wearing a mask in a public place, seating more than three people at a table or not keeping “two adult steps” – around six feet – apart.
“Now it is as if COVID is no longer there, the public is not taking care,” Health Minister Lia Tadesse tweeted on Thursday. “This will cause a possible increase in the spread of the disease and might be a threat to the nation.”
Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation and a regional powerhouse, declared a state of emergency in April to curb the spread of the pandemic. It was lifted in September.
