Coronavirus – Equatorial Guinea: COVID-19 Situation Report

Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs

The COVID-19 pandemic currently affects more than 188 countries including all African countries. As of 24 August 2020, there were 23,057,288 positive cases, and 800,906 deaths worldwide, out of which only around 1,000,379 persons (4%) were COVID-19 positive and 20,321 (3%) deaths were in the African continent according to WHO’s situation report. Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first COVID-19 case on 14 March 2020. As of 18 August 2020, the country has reported a total of 4,892 confirmed COVID19 cases with evidence of local transmissions in both insular and continental regions. To date, 2,713 patients have recovered while there are 83 deaths. 136 cases have been repatriated.

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Currently, more than 49,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted nationwide. Equatorial Guinea launched its massive testing with PCR at the end of June.

UNICEF’s COVID-19 response

Health

In the General Hospital of Malabo (the nation’s second largest hospital), 1,405 (out of 5842) PLHIV got their ART in July, of which 827 (58,9%) were females. There was a marginal increase of 13 patients between June and July 2020. Compared to the same month in 2019, there is decreased of 21,6% of patients that got their ART (1,405 against 1,791 in July 2019).

Moreover, since April there is a gradual reduction in the number of patients that get their ART including in the number of PLHIV newly enrolled on ART: from 70 in April against 51 in July. However, more than 69% of the patients in the concerned hospital have received at least three months of ART between May and July 2020

WASH / IPC

All planned IPC training in the priority health facilities have been concluded while the supervision activities are ongoing. Further training on IPC is planned for the reopening of schools in September 2020.

RCCE/C4D

860,000 people have been reached with COVID-19 prevention messages and access to services through mass media using TV and Radio. The IEC community mobilizers have sensitized 51,770 families on COVID19 preventive measures and community engagement, with participation from community leaders, informal merchants, and traditional healers. Moreover, 62,696 people have participated in COVID-19 engagement actions through direct community engagement and through UNICEF’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram platforms.

A total of 858 people have used the “Green Line” (a feedback mechanism) sharing their concerns and asking questions/clarifications on available services to meet their needs.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).