Outbreak Brief 15: COVID-19 Pandemic – 28 April 2020

Since the last brief (21 April 2020), 563,473 new confirmed^[1] coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and 40,814 new deaths have been reported globally. This is a 24% increase in cases reported between 21-28 April 2020 compared to a 31% increase in cases reported between 14-21 April 2020. To date, a total of 2,879,512 COVID-19 cases and 198,710 (CFR: 6.9%) related deaths have been reported worldwide. This week six new countries^[2] including two from Africa, are reporting deaths for the first time. Worldwide, a total of 213 countries and territories have reported COVID-19 cases. The distribution of cumulative cases (proportion of global cases %) from the WHO reporting regions (excluding Africa) are as follows: Eastern Mediterranean Region 154,628 (5%), European Region 1,359,380 (47%), Region of the Americas 1,140,520 (40%), South-East Asia Region 46,060 (2%) and Western Pacific Region 144,833 (5%). For more detailed information on cases and deaths being reported outside of Africa, refer to the WHO daily situation reports^[3].

As of 9 am EAT 28 April 2020, a total of 33,273 COVID-19 cases and 1,467 (CFR: 4.4%) deaths have been reported in 52 African countries. Since the last brief, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased by 42% (9,768 cases). The five countries in Africa with the highest cumulative number of cases (proportion of reported cases in Africa) are South Africa (4,793; 14%), Egypt (4,782; 14%), Morocco (4,120; 12%), Algeria (3,517; 11%) and Cameroon (1,756; 5%). When population is taken into consideration, Djibouti (105), Mauritius (26), Cabo Verde (20), Equatorial Guinea (18) and Seychelles (11) are reporting the most cases per 100,000 population within the continent. Nine countries are reporting case fatality rates comparable to or higher than the global case fatality rate of 6.9%. Out of these, the case fatality rates for countries with 100 cases or more are:  Algeria (12%), Liberia (12%), Sudan (8%) and Egypt (7%). See Table 1 for the full list of countries in Africa reporting cases, deaths, and COVID-19 recoveries in addition to the epidemic phase in each country. Africa CDC is working with all affected countries and is mobilizing laboratory, surveillance, and other response support where requested.