It counts 49 days since the first COVID-19 case reported in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Ministry of Health reported the first COVID-19 case on 13 March.
Up to Yesterday, the number of confirmed cases in Ethiopia reached 131 with three deaths and 59 recoveries, reported by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health. COVID-19 National Ministerial Committee was established before the outbreak of the virus in Ethiopia.
Immediately, following the outbreak of the virus in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian government takes various containment measurements to limit the pandemic by establishing different taskforces at ministerial level.
The taskforces were focused on multidimensional containment actions, resource mobilization, market stabilization and other measures to control the spread of the pandemic in the country.
While reporting the first case, Ethiopia did not have even a single testing laboratory and the first reported case tasting result was held in South Africa. But with the immediate responses of the government, currently Ethiopia has 24 testing laboratories with 5000 to 7000 testing capacity per day.
According to Ethiopian Public Health Institute Director Dr. Ebba Abate, announced this week, the country is working to develop the testing laboratories to 30 and except two all regional states have testing laboratories
in addition to the three laboratory testing centers in Addis Ababa.
Peace Minister and Chairperson of COVID-19 National Ministerial Committee, Muferiat Kamil announced on Tuesday during the Webinar on “innovation in times of crises” that government has prepared quarantine centers with the capacity of over 200,000 people. According to Muferiat the government’s tireless efforts are scoring good developments as the country’s testing capacity per day reached 4500 per day from zero and working to develop it to 7000.
Recently Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has visited the preparation of the Millennium Hall as quarantine center which Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse announced Millennium Hall is designed to accommodate 1000 patients. Similar to that over 200 different institutions, health centers, hotels and other buildings are prepared for quarantine.
Ministry of Health is also working to increase the number of mechanical ventilator which is currently developed to 473 by introducing new ventilators and maintain the damaged so far. The country is also on process to introduce additional ventilators.
On 16 March, the federal government closed schools, banned large gatherings and sport movement for 15 days which postponed later by declaring State of Emergency.
To strengthen its efforts of limiting the pandemic, on 20 March Ethiopia has decided to quarantine all passengers arriving in Ethiopia for 14 days. Before this decision Ethiopia was quarantining passengers from the countries that the virus was existed. Similarly, borders were closed for movements except logistics.
Towards the end of March Ethiopia prepared “Ethiopian Integrated Corona Virus Monitoring Platform”. Subsequently the government has also ordered civil servants to do their jobs at home except some key sectors. By this decision almost 70 to 80 percent of government workers stayed at home.
Since the turning of last month, the country has shut down places of worship and put other restrictions. The Federal government also ordered shutting of nightclubs and entertainments, announced social distancing and called retired and in-training medical personnel to strengthen its fighting of the pandemic.
Parallel with the combating containment measures, the government also gave due attention on supporting the needy with its resources and by mobilizing resources from the public. By calling the people, it collects hundreds of millions birr and only in Addis Ababa the city administration has setup 1200 food banks.
After all these measures, on 08 April the Council of Ministers declared State of Emergency for five months and on 10 April the House of Peoples Representatives approved the stet of emergency which helps the country to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Comprehensive COVID-19 Management Handbook published on 12 April is also another measurement to manage the overall activities of the COVID-19 fighting; The Multi-Sectorial Preparedness and Response Plan launched on 03 April is also one among the key measurements to control the pandemic.
In addition, with a door-to-door survey focusing on the exposed society, up to the mid of this week over 3.6 million households are surveyed, Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse told VOA Amharic on Wednesday. During this survey 960 suspects were found and entered to quarantine centers for testing. The door-to-doo survey focuses on identifying suspected people and awareness creation.
Ministry of Trade and Industry has working eagerly to ensure the health of the market and sufficient provision of consumption products without artificial price increasing and product shortage in the market. Accordingly it took legal and administrative actions of varying degrees on over 25 thousand wholesalers and retailers due to artificial price increment, adulteration and storing at stock to create market shortage.
By taking all these multidimensional fiscal and containment measures, the Ethiopian Government is scoring good developments in limiting the spread of the virus at least up to now.
The Ethiopian Herald May 2/2020
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
Ethiopia; conducting a ground level response for Yellow Fever
Yellow Fever (YF) is an acute and often fatal infectious disease caused by the YF virus (YFV), a flavivirus transmitted in tropical and subtropical areas, mainly through the bite of infected Aedes spp. mosquitoes in Africa, and by Haemagogus spp. mosquitoes in South America.
It is characterized by acute onset of fever, chills, headache, backache, generalized muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. The clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic to classical hemorrhagic fever and death.
According to Ministry of Health report, in Ethiopia case of yellow fever were reported from Enemoreena district, Gurage zone, SNNPR during the beginning of March. According to the report, the outbreak was started with an index case on 3rd of March, 2020.
The report further stated that 86 confirmed cases and 4 deaths were reported. Thus, as part of the response effort, active case search was conducted in five Kebeles of the district and 1,275 households and two schools were visited, the report indicated.
The report additionally detailed that the outbreak was already contained on March 29, 2020 and Zero case had been reported until now. And experts from the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, the Regional and
Zonal Health Offices have been supporting the ground level response effort.
According to the WHOs risk assessment, the current outbreak in Gurage Zone, SNNP region shows rapid amplification of a yellow fever outbreak in a rural area. In the context of virtually no population immunity, the high number of suspect cases reported over a short time period is of high concern.
Recent entomological studies, in addition to previous entomological studies conducted in 2018, have indicated the presence of competent vectors including Aedes species and the potential for spread to surrounding zones. The onset of the rainy season could increase density of mosquito vectors, thereby further exacerbating risk of spread.
Documents revealed that the last yellow fever outbreak occurred in the SNNP region in August 2018, with a total of 35 cases (30 suspected and 5 confirmed cases) reported from the Wolayita Zone in the SNNP region, Ethiopia. While immunization took place in selected aspects of Wolayita Zone, the communities in Gurage zone remain vulnerable to yellow fever infection.
After confirmation of yellow fever, a reactive mass vaccination campaign was conducted from 13—20 October 2018 in six identified kebeles for 31,565 high risk populations. Following epidemiological, virological and entomological field investigation evidences, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and international community decided to vaccinate 1,335,865 populations dwelling in nine woredas and institutions; seven from Wolaita and two from Gamo Gofa Zones.
The institutions included Universities, colleges, prisons and other camps. This ring campaign was conducted from 16—22 November 2018 plus two additional days for mop up. Experts from partner organizations, such as; WHO, UNICEF, MSF, IRC, AMREF and CDC had supported government institutions on field to accomplish the vaccination effectively. The campaign was officially finalized on 24 November, 2018.
WHOs recent assessment indicates that the overall risk of the YF outbreak to be low at the global level. WHOs report further said that Ethiopia is a high priority country for the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemic (EYE) strategy. Introduction of yellow fever vaccination into routine immunization is planned for 2020.
Vaccination is the primary means for prevention and control of yellow fever. In urban centers, targeted vector control measures are also helpful to interrupt transmission.
Yellow fever vaccination is safe, highly effective and provides life-long protection. In accordance with the International Health Regulations (2005), third edition, the validity of the international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever extends to the life of the person vaccinated. A booster dose of yellow fever vaccine cannot be required of international travellers as a condition of entry.
WHO encourage its Member States to take all actions necessary to keep travellers well informed of risks and preventive measures including vaccination. Travellers should also be made aware of yellow fever symptoms and signs and instructed to rapidly seek medical advice if experiencing signs and symptoms suggestive of yellow fever infection.
WHO has published guiding principles for immunization activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently developing specific operational guidance for conducting mass vaccination campaigns in the COVID-19 context. When conditions permit, the EYE Strategy will support rapid resumption of preventive YF activities according to WHO guidance.
WHO does not recommend any restrictions on travel and trade to Ethiopia on the basis of the information available on this outbreak.
It was learnt that In Ethiopia, the other outbreaks was reported in 1966 with 2200 cases and 450 deaths and A total of 141 Suspected YF cases with 43 deaths were also reported from November 2012 to October 2013 from South Omo Zone.
The Ethiopian Herald May 2/2020
BY HIZKEL HAILU
Facts that make visitors to be admired while visiting Ethiopia
What are the things that surprise many visitors about Ethiopia? The Ethiopian Herald would like to share some of them.
1. Ethiopian food and coffee ceremony:
Ethiopian food characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes, usually in the form of Wot (also w’et or wot), a thick stew, served a top injera, a large sourdough flatbread. Ethiopians eat exclusively with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrees and side dishes. Utensils are rarely used with Ethiopia cuisine.
2. Ethiopia is known to the birth place of coffee.
The coffee ceremony is one of the most recognizable parts of Ethiopian culture. Coffee is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. If coffee is politely declined then most likely tea (Shai) will be served.
3. Ethiopia is the land of the great long distance runners,
Long distance running is believed to be the result of high altitude of the country. Abebe Bikila was the first black athlete from Ethiopia to have won Gold Medal on his bare foot at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
4. The arc of the covenant:
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims
to possess the Tablet of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed. (Locally known as Tabot) The object is currently kept under guard in treasury near the church of Saint Mary of Zion in Axum, Ethiopia.
The arc arrived in Ethiopia nearly 3,000 years ago, and has been guarded by a succession of virgin monk who, once anointed and forbidden to set foot outside the chapel grounds until they die.
5. Unique Alphabets
Ge’ez Alphabet is an ancient script used as a syllable alphabet for several languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea. In Amharic and Tigrinya the script is often called fidel which means “script” or “alphabet”.
Additionally, Ge’ez uses a system of ones and tens comparable to the Hebrew, Arabic Abjad and Greek numerals, but unlike these systems, rather than giving numeric values to letters, it has digits derived from the Coptic letter-numbers. The Ethiopian numbers were developed independently prior to 4th century AD, Ayele Bekerie of Coronell University.
6. Unique calendar
Consisting of 12 months of 30 days each and 13th month of 5 or 6 days (leap year). Documents revealed that the chronology of the Ethiopian church follows the Era of Incarnation that dates from our Lord’s birth; there is a difference of seven or eight years between the western and Ethiopian systems.
The renowned Ethiopian born US scholar Prof. Ephraim Isaac, once affirmed that the Ethiopian calendar is unique in that it belongs neither to the Julian, nor to the Gregorian calendars.
7. Music and Dance
Ethiopian is further known with its unique and attractive music and dancing style. Saint Yared: (April 25,505-May 20,571) was a legendary Ethiopian musician credited with inventing the sacred music tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Ethiopia’s system of musical notation.
Yared invented the Zema or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly, the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which are still performed today. Musical instruments like kirar, begena, washint and etc.
The music of Ethiopia is extremely diverse. It uses a distinct modal system that is pentatonic, with characteristically long intervals between some notes. Ethiopian music is so expressive and soulful that everyone will enjoy anyway.
Traditional Ethiopian dance is also unique. Mainly comprised of fast, rhythmic upper body movements, the dancing is not only beautiful, but tells a story of life, culture and tradition in the country.
8.The never colonized country; the battle of Adwa:
The first defeat of European forces in Africa during their attempt to colonize the continent. The battle of Adwa was fought on 1March 1896 between the Ethiopian empire and the kingdom of Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, in Tigray. It was the climactic battle of the first Italo-Ethiopian war, securing Ethiopian sovereignty.
That is why some of African countries use Ethiopian national flag in their flag but in different design. And also African influential persons also assure that Ethiopia can be a real role model for the rest black people.
9.Origin of Modern mankind
Moreover, it also well known that Ethiopia is the cradle of human kind. Additionally, Ethiopia and Ethiopians are mentioned many times both in the holy Bible and holy Qur’an parallel with Ethiopians are the pioneers to use a tool before 2.8 million years ago.
10. Water tower of Africa
Ethiopia is further referred to as the “water tower” of Eastern Africa because of the many rivers that pour off the high tableland. It is also the source of the great Blue Nile River which runs a distance of 1450 kilometers and contributes 85 percent of the Nile River.
The Ethiopian Herald May 2/2020
BY HIZKEL HAILU
Emperor Haile Selassie I moved to Djibouti in exile
It was 75 years ago today, on May 2, 1936, the Italian forces rapidly approaching the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, the country’s Emperor Haile Selassie I, in power since 1930, flees to the French colony in Djibouti. While he was in exile, the Italians easily captured the capital and declare an annexation of Ethiopia on May 9, 1936.
On May 5, 1941, Haile Selassie I returned triumphantly to his beloved capital city, Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian Emperor was accompanied by battle-tested companies of Patriot guerilla fighters (the Arbanyoch). British Colonel Orde Wingate led Gideon Force and an assorted mix of Commonwealth fighters from Egypt, Sudan, and Kenya. Enormous feasts and festivities followed the re‐establishment of the Solomonic Dynasty and a sovereign Ethiopia.
Immediately after the flight of the emperor and the entry of the Italians, Addis Ababa was caught in the grip of mass violence for three days. There was a total breakdown of law and order. Burning, looting and random shooting became the order of the day. Arada, the commercial centre, was the focal point of the violence. It was a puzzling
phenomenon, combining elements of mass psychosis and inchoate clan warfare, of despair and defiance (Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, Page-160).
Inasmuch as the violence had any target at all, it was the rich and the expatriate; nor was the palace, the Obi, spared, arms stored in it being a major attraction. The legations became refuge for many expatriates, thus at last performing the roles for which they had prepared themselves for so long. In spite of a vaguely discernible pattern, however, the violence – like most mass violence – was blind.
The casualties were mainly Ethiopians, not the foreigners whose presence had apparently aroused the rioters. Entering against such a backdrop of anarchy, the Italians might appear as the harbingers of peace and order. Some have even interpreted the Italians’ delay in entering the capital as a cynical design to give their entry the image of an act of deliverance.
Indeed, there was some relief, particularly among the foreigners, when Badoglio entered Addis Ababa on 5 May 1936 at the head of the Italian army ushering in a Fascist reincarnation of pax Romano. His first act was to communicate to Mussolini about the news of victory.
The Ethiopian Herald May 2/2020
BY ZELALEM GIRMA
