Seven persons have been confirmed dead in Cameroon as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Public Health Minister’s tweet

The information was disclosed in a tweet by the country’s Minister of Health, Manaouda Malachie, on Saturday, January 23.

During the declaration, the minister revealed that the seven new deaths were registered within one week.

“We have just recorded 07 deaths in one week and witnessed a rise in contaminations, especially in the Littoral, Centre and North Regions, representing 1607 new cases in just one week,” he tweeted.

On January 19, Dr Malachie told health experts from the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC, to amplify the spread of preventive messages into the hinterlands in order to achieve overwhelming success in the fight against the pandemic. This was during an online meeting with health experts in the CEMAC region.

The Minister’s January 19 utterance was triggered by rising COVID-19 confirmed cases in CEMAC.
Figures displayed by the Organ that Coordinates the fight against endemic diseases in the Central African Sub Region, L’OCEAC, reveals that 900 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the CEMAC sub region in the first week of 2021. These statistics sum up to 56,000 confirmed cases and 880 deaths recorded in the CEMAC sub region.

COVID-19 Vaccine to Arrive CEMAC Regions will in the months ahead receive 20% of the prescribed COVID-19 vaccine that would be administered in countries in the region, including Cameroon. L’OCEAC Executive Secretary, Manuel Nso Obiang Ada, made the declaration during an online meeting with Health practitioner from CEMAC Sub Region.

“We think in six months or by the end of year we will have at least 20% of the vaccines we need for the sub region,” Manuel Said.

Dr. Manaouda Malachi, President of the conference of Public Health Ministers of the CEMAC sub region, described the vaccine as a strong solution against COVID-19. Upon revival of the vaccine in the region, WHO Regional Representative, Dr. Maria Rebollo, told health experts to ensure that the vaccine is accessible to all persons especially to those vulnerable to COVID-19.

As of Saturday January 23, Cameroon had recorded a total of 29,617 confirmed cases and 462 deaths. Dr Malachie beckons on Cameroonians to intensify COVID-19 preventive measures set aside by the government. These measures include constant wearing of face masks, regularly washing of hands with soap and clean running water and the maintenance of social distance in public places.

By Neville Mesumbe