UNHCR Ethiopia COVID-19 and Operational Update 24 February 2021
Format
COVID-19 context: As of 23 February 2021, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 154,257 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 2,305 deaths in the country. Ethiopia is currently registering one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases in Africa, and there is a recent rise in the number of cases as well as deaths.
Community outreach: Over 2,500 trained health and community outreach workers are actively engaged in awareness raising, case investigations and management, as well as mitigation, prevention and control of the coronavirus.
Tigray Emergency: Thousands of Eritrean refugees, who were stranded in the town of Shire and surrounding areas [after fleeing Hitsats and Shimelba camps] continue to be relocated to Mai Aini and Adi-Harush camps. To date, 5,474 refugees have been relocated to the two camps, but lack of adequate shelter and communal facilities remains a major concern.
By The World Health Organization
In a busy intensive care unit in Eka Kotebe General Hospital, Addis Ababa, Dr Samuel Getnet, 28, a newly-recruited young and energetic physician anxiously monitors the mechanical ventilators, an indispensable form of life support for COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress.
“I never thought my professional journey would bring me to the place where I’m today at the center of COVID-19 pandemic management team treating and caring for the most severely ill patients who critically need my support and care. Despite the challenges and risks, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my people at this critical time,” he said.