Ethiopia has confirmed its two coronavirus death on Sunday.
Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse said on Twitter that a 60-year-old woman who contracted the disease died of the virus.
“The deceased was in an intensive care unit for the last five days,” the minister said, adding that the deceased was among the 42 coronavirus cases Ethiopia has so far confirmed.
Four hours later, Lia published a second post expressing “great sadness” as another death emerged.
Ethiopia, a country of more than 100 million people, confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 13 and has recorded just 43 in total — mostly people with a history of recent foreign travel.
As of Friday, the country had conducted just 1,222 tests, according to the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.
Earlier, Mayor of the Addis Ababa City Administration Takele Uma told journalists that his administration would refrain from totally shut businesses down in view of the crippling effect total closure would have on the economy.
“Total closure,” he said, “may be declared as a last resort, and not now.”
The virus is taking a milestone in Ethiopia as two of six people diagnosed positive to COVID-19 have neither had travel history or contacts with patients who came from abroad; indicating a possible community spread.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had reached 8,536 as of Sunday, considerably jumping from 7,742 registered a day earlier.
Ethiopia has confirmed its first coronavirus death on Sunday.
Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse said on Twitter that a 60-year-old woman who contracted the disease died of the virus.
“The deceased was in an intensive care unit for the last five days,” the minister said, adding that the deceased was among the 42 coronavirus cases Ethiopia has so far confirmed.
Earlier, Mayor of the Addis Ababa City Administration Takele Uma told journalists that his administration would refrain from totally shut businesses down in view of the crippling effect total closure would have on the economy.
“Total closure,” he said, “may be declared as a last resort, and not now.”
The virus is taking a milestone in Ethiopia as two of six people diagnosed positive to COVID-19 have neither had travel history or contacts with patients who came from abroad; indicating a possible community spread.
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 had reached 8,536 as of Sunday, considerably jumping from 7,742 registered a day earlier.
