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As of 3 pm EAT 7 April 2020, a total of 10,086 COVID-19 cases and 487 (CFR 5%) deaths have been reported in 52 African countries. Out of 52 Member States that have reported cases, 41 have local transmission and 9 have imported cases only. Since the last brief, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 91% (4,799 cases). The five countries in Africa with the highest cumulative number of cases (proportion of reported cases in Africa) are South Africa 1,686 (17%), Algeria 1,423 (14%), Egypt 1,322 (13%), Morocco 1,120 (11%) and Cameroon 650 (6%). See Table 1 for the full list of countries in Africa reporting cases, deaths, and COVID-19 recoveries in addition to transmission type being reported. Africa CDC is working with all affected countries and is mobilizing laboratory, surveillance, and other response support where requested.

Table 1. Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Reported in Africa6 31 March - 7 April 2020, 1pm EAT

NEW Africa CDC Response Activities:

Surveillance:

1. AFTCOR’s weekly surveillance technical working group met on 1 April 2020 to strategize on innovative ways to provide remote technical capacity and improved policy recommendations to Member States, backed up by Member State data, in this era of closed borders and restricted movement.

2. Africa CDC will start holding weekly disease surveillance webinars on priority topics, like early detection and containment of COVID-19 cases, to support technical teams within the AU Member States’ ministries and governments. The English and French Webinar will launch this week on Wednesday (8 April) and Friday (10 April), respectively.

Healthcare Preparedness

1. Africa CDC initiated a continent-wide network of clinicians, who met for the first time on 9 March 2020 and has been holding weekly webinars including ~300 clinicians from across the continent. The next webinar is scheduled for 9 April 2020.

2. Africa CDC will be engaging selected Member States to support national & subnational level case management training.

3. Africa CDC is collecting information on Intensive Care Units capacity across the continent to guide our support to Member States.

4. Africa CDC is mapping the ongoing COVID-19 clinical trials and research initiatives on the continent.

5. Africa CDC is working with partners to build Member States infection prevention and control (IPC) capacity via an online platform.

6. In-country IPC step-down training is being supported by Africa CDC.

Recommendations for Member States:

1. All Member States should enhance their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI)8 and to carefully review any unusual patterns of SARI or pneumonia cases. Examples of enhanced surveillance include:

a. Adding questions about travel and testing for coronaviruses to existing influenza surveillance systems;

b. Notifying healthcare facilities to immediately inform local public health officials about persons who meet the case definition for SARI and/or have recent travel or contact history with someone who has traveled to a country with local transmission.

2. Member States that receive direct or connecting flights from affected countries should screen incoming passengers for severe respiratory illness and a history of recent travel to any country/area or territory reporting local transmission. Member States should be prepared to expand questions about recent travel to additional countries as the outbreak evolves.

3. Notify WHO and Africa CDC immediately if suspected or confirmed cases of infection with novel coronavirus are identified. Africa CDC should be notified by emailing AfricaCDCEBS@africa-union.org.

4. Provide guidance to the general public about seeking immediate medical care and informing healthcare providers about recent travel or contact history in anyone who develops symptoms of severe respiratory illness.