In an attempt to rescue detainees from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Ethiopia today announced that it has decided to release 4,011 federal prisoners.
This is indicated by the recently appointed Attorney General of Ethiopia, Adanech Abebe, who briefed reporters this morning. Currently there are a total of COVID-19 pandemic patients in Ethiopia. Within the last 24 hours the Public Health Institute of Ethiopia and the Ministry of Health of Ethiopia has conducted COVID-19 test for 106 people and found all negative, according to the state media report.
In a related development, the national taskforce established to tackle COVID-19 in Ethiopia and led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has also announced today launching a nationwide a fund raising to fight the spread of coronavirus and prepare the nation to deal with a potential worst case scenario.
In Africa the virus has infected a total of 1,300 plus people and killed about 30 so far. Large population density, poor health system and economy are expected to pose a major challenge in Africa\s effort to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The World \Health Organization (WHO) has been warning Africa to prepare for the worst as the number of people to be infected by the virus is likely to accelerate after a certain pick point as observed in other parts of the world.
It took over two months for the virus to infect the first 100,000 people across the word, and it only took eleven days for the second 100,000 people to be infected and only four days for the third 100,000 people to catch the virus, according to WHO statistics.