COVID-19 pandemic in Eritrea

The COVID-19 pandemic in Eritrea is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was confirmed to have reached Eritrea on 21 March 2020. The government introduced strict social distancing measures by end of March 2020 which was enforced until April 2021. In April 2021 the government relaxed restrictions and opened up schools, resumed commercial flights and public transportation. Mask and social distancing guidelines are still in place.

COVID-19 pandemic in Eritrea
DiseaseCOVID-19
Virus strainSARS-CoV-2
LocationEritrea
First outbreakWuhan, Hubei, China
Index caseAsmara
Arrival date21 March 2020
Confirmed cases10,189[1] (updated 2 Nov 2022)
Deaths
103[1] (updated 2 Nov 2022)

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[2][3]

The case fatality rate for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[4][5] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[6][4]

Timeline

March 2020
  • On 21 March, the first case in Eritrea was confirmed in Asmara; the index case was an Eritrean national arriving from Norway.[7][8][9]
  • There were 15 confirmed cases in March. All 15 remained active at the end of the month.

April to June 2020
  • Eritrea announced a 21-day lockdown beginning April 2.[9] That lockdown was subsequently extended further.[9]
  • On 9 April, Eritrea recorded two new cases, two Eritreans aged 30 and 62, both of whom had returned to the country before the flight ban, thus bringing the country's total infections to 33.[10]
  • The total number of confirmed cases reached 39 in April, 24 more than in March. 26 of the 39 patients recovered in April, leaving 13 active cases at the end of the month.[11]
  • On 15 May, the Eritrean Health Ministry confirmed that the 39th and final case of COVID-19 in the country had fully recovered.[12] For the rest of the month there were no active cases.
  • On 13 June, a further 31 positive cases were confirmed, 30 of whom had returned from Sudan, and one from Ethiopia.[13] During the month there were 164 positive cases, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak to 203. 53 patients recovered in June, leaving 150 active cases at the end of the month.[14]

July to September 2020
  • In July there were 76 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 279. The number of recovered patients grew by 172 to 225, leaving 54 active cases at the end of the month (64% fewer than at the end of June).[15]
  • In August there were 39 new confirmed cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 318. The number of recovered patients increased by 59 to 284, leaving 34 active cases at the end of the month (a decrease by 37% from the end of July).[16]
  • There were 57 new cases in September, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 375. The number of recovered patients increased by 57 to 341, leaving the same number of active cases as at the end of August.[17]

October to December 2020
  • There were 88 new cases in October, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 463. The number of recovered patients increased by 71 to 412, leaving 51 active cases at the end of the month, an increase of 50% from August and September.[18]
  • There were 114 new cases in November, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 577. The number of recovered patients increased by 86 to 498, leaving 79 active cases at the end of the month.[19]
  • The country announced its first COVID-19-related death on 22 December,[20] followed by two more deaths on 31 December. The number of confirmed cases more than doubled to 1320. The number of recovered patients increased to 676, leaving 641 active cases at the end of the month.[21]

January to March 2021
  • There were 815 new cases in January, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 2135. The death toll rose to 7. The number of recovered patients increased to 1594, leaving 534 active cases at the end of the month.[22]
  • There were 712 new cases in February, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 2847. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 2253, leaving 587 active cases at the end of the month.[23]
  • There were 438 new cases in March, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 3285. The death toll rose to 10. The number of recovered patients increased to 3029, leaving 246 active cases at the end of the month.[24]

April to June 2021
  • There were 388 new cases in April, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 3673. The death toll rose to 12. The number of recovered patients increased to 3496, leaving 165 active cases at the end of the month.[25]
  • There were 421 new cases in May, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 4094. The death toll rose to 14. The number of recovered patients increased to 3853, leaving 227 active cases at the end of the month.[26]
  • There were 1015 new cases in June, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 6009. The death toll rose to 23. The number of recovered patients increased to 5512, leaving 474 active cases at the end of the month.[27]

July to September 2021
  • There were 538 new cases in July, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 6547. The death toll rose to 35. The number of recovered patients increased to 6444, leaving 68 active cases at the end of the month.[28]
  • There were 95 new cases in August, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 6642. The death toll rose to 38. The number of recovered patients increased to 6590, leaving 14 active cases at the end of the month.[29]
  • There were 80 new cases in September, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 6722. The death toll rose to 42. The number of recovered patients increased to 6635, leaving 45 active cases at the end of the month.[30]

October to December 2021
  • There were 112 new cases in October, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 6834. The death toll rose to 45. The number of recovered patients increased to 6732, leaving 57 active cases at the end of the month.[31]
  • There were 524 new cases in November, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 7358. The death toll rose to 60. The number of recovered patients increased to 7096, leaving 202 active cases at the end of the month.[32]
  • There were 653 new cases in December, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 8011. The death toll rose to 76. The number of recovered patients increased to 7746, leaving 189 active cases at the end of the month.[33] Modeling carried out by the WHO's Regional Office for Africa suggests that due to under-reporting, the true cumulative number of infections by the end of 2021 was around 1.6 million while the true number of COVID-19 was around 1130.[34]

January to March 2022
  • There were 1525 new cases in January, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9536. The death toll rose to 98. The number of recovered patients increased to 9216, leaving 222 active cases at the end of the month.[35]
  • There were 165 new cases in February, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9701. The death toll rose to 103. The number of recovered patients increased to 9594, leaving four active cases at the end of the month.[36]
  • There were 27 new cases in March, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9728. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 9623, leaving two active cases at the end of the month.[37]

April to June 2022
  • There were six new cases in April, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9734. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 9631, leaving no active cases at the end of the month.[38]
  • There were 30 new cases in May, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9764. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 9652, leaving nine active cases at the end of the month.[39]
  • There were 35 new cases in June, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 9799. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 9683, leaving 13 active cases at the end of the month.[40]

July to September 2022
  • There were 246 new cases in July, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10045. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 9804, leaving 138 active cases at the end of the month.[41]
  • There were 110 new cases in August, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10155. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 10047, leaving five active cases at the end of the month.[42]
  • There were 18 new cases in September, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 10173. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients increased to 10065, leaving five active cases at the end of the month.[43]

Statistics

Confirmed new cases per day

Confirmed deaths per day

Preventive measures

As a precautionary measure, the government has urged people not to travel to or from the country, and as of 11 March 2020, was quarantining any incoming travellers who have recently been in Iran, Italy, China, or South Korea.[44][9]

The government put in guidelines forbidding overcharging on goods during the lockdown.[9] Enforcement of these measured has been reported in jurisdictions like Massawa.[9]

As the pandemic became more serious, the government decreed a nationwide lockdown, banning on all non-essential local and international flights. During the international travel ban, returning Eritreans are subject to mandatory quarantine; as of June 16, 2020 there were 3,405 people still in quarantine across 47 quarantine centers in the country.[45]

By May 2022, Eritrea was one of the last two countries that had yet to start a COVID vaccination program.[46] When the North Korean vaccination program started in its border areas in late September, Eritrea was alone in having no mass vaccination program against COVID-19.[47]

Diaspora response

Diaspora communities have been sending large volumes of money to support relief efforts in the country.[9] For example, Eritrean Americans had sent at least US$4 million by May 2022, according to the US embassy in Eritrea.[9]

See also

References
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