The total laboratory tests conducted within 24 hours are 4848; of these three-hundred-ninety-nine (399) of them are confirmed positive for COVID-19 and the total confirmed cases as of today are 4,469. Among the confirmed cases, 195 of them are male and 204 are female and their age ranges from 4 to 85 years old. Among the confirmed cases, 398 are Ethiopians and one is a foreign citizen. Among the cases, 135 of them are identified from Civil Service University quarantine center, 132 from Dewale and Galile quarantine center, 86 from Addis Ababa, 18 Amhara region, 14 from Dire Dawa city administration, 9 from Oromia region, 2 from Tigray region, 1 from SNNPR, 1 from Gambella region and 1 from Somali region.
Among the total laboratory tests conducted, 22 (8 from health facility and 14 from community) of them were from samples collected from dead bodies of which no sample was tested positive for COVID-19.
Recently it was announced that Dexamethasone reduces the risk of death among COVID-19 patients who require oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation. Following this, the Ministry of Health recommends the emergency use of low dose Dexamethasone for COVID-19 patients who require oxygen and/or mechanical ventilation for treatment.
However, we should understand the potential harm may outweigh the benefit if it is taken without prescription by a health professional. Therefore, the public should not take the drug without physician prescription and pharmacies and health professionals should not sell the drug to anyone without a prescription by a health professional.
Furthermore, ninety-five (95) people (82 from Addis Ababa, 8 from Amhara region, 2 from Somali region, 1 from Tigray region, 1 from Oromia region and 1 from Gambella region) recovered from the disease bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,122.
COVID-19 Situational Update as of Today
| Total laboratory test conducted | 211,871 |
| Laboratory tests conducted within 24 hours | 4,848 |
| Number of Confirmed cases within 24 hours | 399 |
| Total active cases | 3,273 |
| Patients in severe condition | 30 |
| Newly Recovered | 95 |
| Total Recovered | 0 |
| Total Deaths | 72 |
| Returned to their country | 2 |
| Total confirmed cases as of today | 4469 |
The laboratory samples were collected from the high-risk community members, returnees/passengers at mandatory quarantine centers, contacts of the confirmed cases, health facility visitors and suspects at isolation centers.
For more information or to report if any person had contact with confirmed COVID-19 please call to the free toll line 8335 and 952 or to regular phone 0118276796 and regional toll free lines, or use our email:-ephieoc@gmail.com.
Dr. Lia Tadesse
Minister of Health
June 20, 2020