CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC UPDATE: AFRICA IS PLAGUED BY MORE THAN JUST COVID-19

-
The WHO Health Emergencies Programme is currently monitoring 109 events in the region. This week’s main articles cover key new and ongoing events, including:

o   Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the WHO African Region
o   Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo
o   Lassa fever in Nigeria

Major issues and challenges include:
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve rapidly in Africa, with over 30 000 confirmed cases and 1 414 deaths reported across 52 countries. Only Comoros and Lesotho in the WHO African Region are still apparently free of the disease.

A few countries in the region are beginning to experience large widespread community transmission, with increasing mortality. While significant efforts are ongoing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, countries are reminded to ensure continuity of essential health services, including routine immunization, malaria prevention and control and access to care for pregnant women. During the 2014-2016 Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, more people lost their lives to common diseases such as malaria than to Ebola, and a similar mistake must not be repeated. Innovative approaches should be explored to deliver essential health services against the backdrop of the various restrictive measures being implemented.

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo has locally re-emerged in Beni Health Zone, with a total of six new cases since the 10 April 2020, four of whom have died, two in the community and two in treatment centres. Beni remains the only affected zone, the remaining 28 previously affected health zones having reported no new confirmed cases in the past 42 days. Contact follow-up is ongoing in Beni, with vaccination of a further 494 people, along with enhanced infection prevention and control activities and community sensitization and engagement.

The Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has greatly improved, with continuous downward trend in the past 10 weeks. However, there is little room for complacency as the conditions for disease spread remain prevalent in the country. The local and national authorities need to remain vigilant and sustain active surveillance and preventive measures at community level.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FACT CHECK: DID BOLA TINUBU CALL FOR REDUCTION OF NIGERIANS’ PURCHASING POWER?

-
Image
By Akin Ojumu  With respect to Bola Tinubu’s presidential aspiration, my position is pretty clear. Those who’ve been following my various commentaries on this issue know very well that I’m not a fan of Bola Tinubu and his unscrupulous campaign to become the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  My opposition to Bola Tinubu’s candidacy is visceral and intense. The man is a clear and present danger to the well-being of Nigeria, if he ever becomes president. BAT is an advanced metastatic cancer rapidly growing and spreading in the Nigeria polity. If the country must survive, this deadly cancer must be treated as all advanced cancers are treated; radical excision combined with several courses of radiotherapy and multiple cycles of chemotherapy cocktail in addition to the clearing of all associated lymph nodes. Now, there’s one thing I detest as much as Bola Tinubu’s presidential run, and that’s fake news. I cherish the truth, it’s the compass that guides us to safe shores. Wi
Read more

BECAUSE JOB DIDN’T TITHE, HIS LIFE BECAME TIGHT

-
Image
By Akin Ojumu Being the trust-but-verify guy that I am, while fact-checking a social media post by one of my High School friends, in which Bishop David Oyedepo was quoted to have linked the adversity of Job to his tithing habit, I was shocked, but not at all surprised, to find a 2019 video that did indeed confirm what my good friend shared.  In Bishop Oyedepo's telling, the real cause of Job's afflictions was his failure to pay tithes. According to him, God removed Job's divine security and allowed Satan to buffet him with calamity because the man was a habitual tithe defaulter. Because Job didn't tithe, his life became really tight. Here is the Bishop in his own words: “You can't see anywhere where Job tithed. So, his blessing was not secured. You can't find anywhere where Job tithed. No! He was overly committed to giving liberally to the poor and God was committed to bless him. But there was no security.” Just so it's absolutely clear. Bishop Oyedepo's
Read more

YOU CAN’T LOVE NIGERIA & WANT BOLA TINUBU AS ITS PRESIDENT

-
Image
By Akin Ojumu Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a stranger to Nigerians. The man with the Graves Disease eyes has been around a long time. BAT is a vector of deadly viral disease of pandemic proportions. He is a parasite that takes over everything his hand touches.  The following is just a sample of what Bola Tinubu, allegedly, did to Lagos State: Number 4, Oyinkan Abayomi (Formerly Queens) Drive, Ikoyi – Valued at N450 Million A 5-bedroom detached house on one acre of land was Lagos State Governor’s guest house since 1979 Certificate of occupancy was signed and released to Tinubu by Fashola in 2007 26 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi – Valued at N600 Million Originally claimed to be by Oando Plc Guest House, it was later acquired by Tinubu from Oando Lagos State Government paid to rebuild and renovate, it then purchased it from Tinubu for an undisclosed sum. Subsequently, the State handed the property back to Tinubu under the Pension Bill he signed into law shortly before Tinubu left office in 2
Read more