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Sudan + 11 more

UNHCR East and Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes Region COVID-19 External Update #26 (01 - 31 January 2021)

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Operational Context

The COVID-19 situation in the East and Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes (EHAGL) region is in its eleventh month since the first cases were reported in March 2020. As the situation continues to evolve, the region is still relatively less impacted than the rest of the continent. As of 2 February 2021, there were 343,762 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 11 countries overseen by the EHAGL Bureau. The EHAGL region reported 10% of the total COVID-19 cases in Africa, as well as 17% of the total tests reported on the continent. There are now some reported 6,528 deaths in the region, (equivalent to 7% of the death cases on the continent) of which the majority are in three countries – Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya.

While so far there has still been no large-scale outbreak in the approximately 100 refugee camps and settlements in the region, 4.6 million refugees and their host communities remain at risk, as do some 8.1 million IDPs. Some locations still lack adequate quarantine, testing and isolation/treatment facilities. Governments have put in place various measures to contain the spread of the virus and are periodically announcing changes to movement and other restrictions, and gradually lifting preventive measures initially adopted. COVID-19 prevention and awareness have now been integrated in most of UNHCR’s activities across the region.