Ethiopia Observes Swell in COVID-19 Cases as 73 Tested Positives

Addis Ababa, May 25/2020( ENA) The number of COVID-19 positive cases in Ethiopia has climbed to 655 with 73 new infections identified in the past 24 hours.

According to the Ministry of Health, this is the second largest single-day increase to date after 88 people tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday.

The new cases are from 2,844 samples which were tested over the last 24 hours, the ministry revealed.

Among the 73 confirmed cases are 49 males and 24 females aged between 8 and 75 years.

Among the confirmed cases, 56 are identified in the capital city Addis Ababa, where 13 of them having contacts with confirmed cases, 12 with travel history from abroad and 31 with no travel history or known contacts with confirmed cases.

In Tigray Regional State 4 people with travel history were tested positive, 2 in Amhara Regional State with known contacts, 8 in Somali Regional State with travel history and 3 long truck drivers with travel history from abroad.

Some 159 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 have so far recovered from the virus. Seven have recovered today.

But some 489 patients are on treatment center, with one patient in Intensive Care Unit.

Authorities have so far ordered wide range of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, including a five-month state of emergency declared in early April.

The Ministry of Health in its recent statement has warned the general public to strictly adhere to all precaution measures as spread of the virus is spiking.

However, the extent of the virus recently is increasing from time to time among the vulnerable society, entering a new stage of “community transmission” since last week.