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Republic of Djibouti: COVID-19 Situation Report #14, 6 - 27 August 2020

Countries
Djibouti
+ 1 more
Sources
UNCT Djibouti
Publication date

HIGHLIGHTS

• Some 5,383 cases of COVID-19 and 60 fatalities have been confirmed by authorities in Djibouti to date. A remarkable decline in the number of positive cases reported in the country in the last three weeks.

• Since the reopening of the borders on 18 July, some 3.8% of arriving passengerstested positive to COVID-19. Ethiopia resumed air and land transportation services with Djibouti on 7 August.

• The UN and its partners published the COVID-19 Response Plan including humanitarian and immediate development support, on the basis of government priorities as indicated in the ‘National Solidarity pact’

SITUATION OVERVIEW

• As of 27 August 2020, the Ministry of Health in Djibouti confirmed 5,383 cases of COVID-19, with 60 fatalities reported since the beginning of the pandemic. The epidemiological situation over the last 3 weeks is marked by a remarkable decline in the number of positive cases reported, with the average number of positive cases detected in the last two weeks amounting to 4 and 3 respectively. Zero reporting was announced twice during the last week for the first time since April 2020. One death was recorded during the last two weeks, bringing the total to 60 fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic, and an overall case-fatality rate of 1.1%. While the situation is evolving positively, concerns still exist in the region and globally, hence the need to ensure continuous vigilance and emphasis on respecting the prevention and distanciation measures.

• Since the official reopening of the borders on 18 July, all arriving passengers to Djibouti undertook a saliva test (EASYCOV) at the point of entry, and all positive cases were retested by PCR for confirmation. Out of 4,083 tests carried out among arriving passengers, 155 were found positive (3.8%). Health authorities are following all required measures to isolate and treat the positive passengers according to existing protocols. On 7 August, Ethiopia has resumed air and land transportation services with Djibouti. Djibouti handles about 95 percent of the import-export trade of landlocked Ethiopia.

• In a message published on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Violence Based on Religious Belief, which falls on 22 August, UN Secretary-General (UNSG) António Guterres warned of a rise in racism since the spread of COVID-19 across the world. Mr. Guterres noted that the pandemic has been accompanied by “a surge in stigma and racist discourse vilifying communities, spreading vile stereotypes and assigning blame.” The UN Chief listed some of the disturbing examples of discrimination against religious minorities, such as attacks on people and religious sites, and hate crimes and atrocity crimes targeting populations because of their religion or belief. (Click here to read the UNSG message)

• Devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the global tourism sector has suffered losses up to 320 billion USD in export revenue during the first five months of 2020, the UNSG said on 26 August.
Tourism is the third largest export sector in the global economy, after fuels and chemicals, and it accounted for seven percent of the global trade in 2019. (See the video here)

• WHO stressed that COVID-19 is an extraordinary global health challenge that can only be met with unprecedented cooperation between governments, researchers, manufacturers and multilateral partners. The organization launched the COVAX initiative, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a partnership with developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and WHO. This is the only global initiative that - working with governments and manufacturers – aims at ensuring that safe and effective vaccines COVID-19 vaccines are equitably available worldwide, once they are licensed and approved. To date, 172 countries are engaged in discussions to potentially participate in COVAX, which has, at present, nine candidate vaccines, with a further nine under evaluation.