Bulletin # 14

CAMEROON North-West and South-West Regions, Health Cluster Update, 15-22 August 2020 23 August, 2020

COVID-19 SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS (as of 23 August 2020, 4:00 PM) CFR 4 % GLOBAL: 23,256,567+ 805,733+ Confirmed Cases To t a l Deaths 2% AFRICAN 1,178,630+ 27,596+ REGION: Confirmed Cases To t a l Deaths

2% CAMEROON: 18, 762+ 408 Confirmed Cases To t a l Deaths

SOUTH - WEST REGION (as of 20 August 2020): 3%

717 5,089+ 1,120,000+ 24 COVID-19 testing in Health District using RDT on 16 August 2020 Confirmed Cases Total Tested To t a l Deaths* Total Passengers Screened NORTH - WEST REGION (as of 20 August 2020): 09% IMMEDIATE NEEDS:

• Ensure the all health districts implement COVID-19 response activities 774 5,100+ 70 1,330,000+ (contact tracing, testing, sensitization and case management). Total Passengers Screened Confirmed Cases Total Tested To t a l Deaths • Stronger sensitization is required to counter the misinformation about the COVID-19 CASES PER SEX IN NWSW REGION: management of COVID-19 in the communities and at health facilities. 56% 44% Source: WHO; Ministry of Public Health- Male Female Cameroon, Johns Hopkins; nCoV • There is need for more CHWs to be trained and empowered to carry out KEY HIGHLIGHTS: community activities. • In NW region, 15 out of the I9 health districts reported confirmed cases • There is need to strengthen the information-sharing mechanism between of COVID-l9. 63 % of the cases have been recorded in Bamenda and 13% the health districts and regional delegation of public health. of total cases recorded in Fundong health district. • In SW region, 10 out of the I8 health districts reported confirmed cases of CHALLENGES: COVID-l9. 76% of the cases have been recorded in and Limbe health There is inadequate infrastructure and equipment for COVID-19 case districts. • management in the regions. • Early Warning Alerts, and Response System (EWARS) reported one suspected Cholera case in Ekona, Muyuka Health district, South West • Very few communities tested using RDTs in remote health districts. Region (SWR). • OCHA and WHO deployed Epidemiologists to the SWNW regional • Reduced positivity of RDTs leading to fewer contacts followed and an delegation of public health to support the delegation and strengthen the apparent decline which may not be realistic (source SW regional COVID-19 response. delegation). Bulletin # 14 CAMEROON 23 August, 2020 KEY HIGHLIGHTS IN SOUTH-WEST REGION (COVID-19): Evolution of Cases per Epidemiologic Week (PCR +Ve)* • A total of 5,089 persons suspected of COVID-19 have been tested Cases Cumul

from 14 out of 18 health districts and 717 confirmed positive from Cases 160 700 148 10 health districts. 597 608 140 593 613 600 562 598 Cumulative • A total of 3,273 suspected cases were tested using RDTs and 104 121 536 580 120 549 were positive 500 453 • 24 deaths have been recorded so far due to COVID-19 in the 100 83 400 region. 80 74 85 Health personnel infected with 02 deaths due to COVID-19. 305 300 • 60 47 • 87 active cases in the region (Limbe, Buea, , Mamfe, Tiko, 200 40 184 , Muyuka, ). 18 20 110 13 13 13 100 No COVID-19 cases isolated at COVID isolation centers in the 7 14 7 19 10 • 4 446 63 4 5 3 3 17 31 38 1 region. 0 3 6 10 0 w13 w14 w15 w16 w17 w18 w19 w20 w21 w22 w23 w24 w25 w26 w27 w28 w29 w30 w31 • The region is continuously working with her partners for W32 W33 possibilities to strengthen surveillance * Note RDT confirmed cases not included in above chart ( RDT confirmed so far 104) • A daily briefing and debriefing sessions have been instituted for better follow-up of COVID-19 activities in the region. • Challenges in obtaining day to day information from the health districts because of power failure, and poor network or insecurity • There are effectively 68 beds for hospitalization, 27 of them with provision for Oxygen. • A rumour management system has been put in place in the region and data tools provided. • SW Regional delegation conducted a two day regional coordination meeting with all DMOs and CBH’s to strengthen the surveillance in response to epidemics in the region. Reviewed previous meeting resolutions with numerous presentations on COVID,-19, surveillance, logistics and management in the region. Drafted new resolutions to solve new challenges in health districts of health facilities. • Work in collaboration with the Central level to optimize the positivity rate and do more active case search • Reinforce sensitization towards encouraging people to be tested COVID-19 testing in Eyumojock health district by district RRT Bulletin # 14 CAMEROON 23 August, 2020 KEY HIGHLIGHTS IN NORTH-WEST REGION (COVID-19): • The North West Region (NWR) has recorded a total of 774 confirmed cases and 70 deaths as of 20 August 2020. The case fatality rate is 09%.

• 15 out of the l9 health districts so far have been affected. The Bamenda health district alone has recorded 62% cases and second highest health district is Fundong recorded 13 % cases.

• In total 77 cases are currently on treatment and 627 cases have recovered.

• 114 Health personnel’s have tested positive for COVID-19 (101 recovered, five deaths).

• Eight Pregnant woman were tested positive for COVID-19, and two deaths reported.

• Around 55 percent male and 46 percent female • personnel's were tested positive for COVID-19 in the region.

• The Regional delegation has scaled-up RDT testing sites for COVID-19 with rapid response teams to all health districts of NWR.

• The COVID-19 tracking, testing, and treatment campaign is ongoing in all health districts. Health teams are conducting testing and treatment in all public and confessional health facilities in the region as well as some public places in collaboration with community representatives of each health district.

• WHO supported coordination meeting of Bamenda Health district on COVID-19 response.

• All health districts are continue testing at facility level. Bulletin # 14 CAMEROON 23 August, 2020 HEALTH AND WASH CLUSTER PARTENRS ACTIVTIES (COVID-19): World Health Organization(WHO): In the SW region, WHO supported the Ministry of Health (MOH) to carryout a reactive vaccination campaign against Cholera in Tiko and Limbe health districts. The campaign started on August 11 and ended on August 15, 2020 in all the health areas of Tiko health district and Mabeta health area of Limbe health district. The second round of campaign is expected to take place in September 2020.

HEDECS: On the 18th August 2020, HEDECS trained 18 Community Health Workers (CHW) and six staff members directly and reached out to 2,000 community members indirectly. Training was geared towards providing protection to CHWs against COVID-19 by taking the necessary steps to protect themselves and the communities against COVID-19. HEDECS donated 25 face masks and one hand sanitizer to each CHW and staff member. Bulletin # 14 CAMEROON 23 August, 2020 HEALTH AND WASH CLUSTER PARTENRS ACTIVTIES (COVID-19): REACH OUT (REO): REO trained 23 opinion leaders (journalist, school CUAPWD: Sensitized through several audio/visual outlets such as HI TV, CBS authorities and faith leaders). These leaders were trained on basic COVID-19 radio, Mount Cameroon radio to sensitize not just persons with disability, but guidelines prescribed by WHO and CDC. The training included modules like COVID-19 case definition, prevention and exposure, disinfection of surfaces, the entire population IPC. The target population for this activity was the entire crowd and space management in the community, Infection, Prevention and population of to be very specific and the entire audio visual coverage of Control (IPC) of COVID-19. the different outlets. • Community Education and Awareness Campaigns: Conducted one The WHO Primary health care mobile clinics carried out community on one and community awareness and educative talks with the population. sensitizations in 7 villages across the NWR and SWR (Bangem, Batibo, Ndop, The target for this activity most often is prioritized to persons with disability Muyuka, Eyumojock, Tombel, Mbengwi). In total 1,050 persons (410 males and and the elderly, and so far, we have reached out to approximately 78 640 females) were sensitized on COVID-19 on IPC. households led by persons with disability and had community talks in 8 communities within the south west region. REO donated 86 face shields, 7 branded water dispensers, 210 cloth mask, 350 surgical masks, 7 bottles of chlorine, 14 cartons of bar soap and 7 electronic • Installation of Water Points in Communities: Installed 23 washing hand thermometers to NGOs to stop the spread of the COVID-19. points in different communities in the SWR ( To l e , Muea, Molyko, Buea Central, Mamau,Tiko, Mamfe, Okoyong, Mutengene). REO continued in providing psychosocial support to 10 COVID 19 positive patients in Buea and Kumba. In Kumba, a total of 4 patients were being followed • Production and Distribution of Face Mask and Hand Sanitizers: The up and all the patients have been indoors and following their treatment as coordinating unit had been involved in the production and distribution of prescribed by the medical doctors. In Buea 6 contacts were shared with REO of 757 locally made face mask and hand sanitizers to principally persons with this number two contacts were not reachable and 4 were contacted and they disability and the elderly in the south west region. are responding to treatment. Training of opinion leaders Distribution of PPEs to NGOs

NWSW HEALTH CLUSTER CONTACTS: Dr. Venkat Dheeravath, Ph.D Dr. CHANDINI Aliyou Moustapha Health Information Management Officer South West Region Field Coordinator DISCLAIMER: The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Cameroon Health Cluster concerning the legal Mobile: +237 690 522 883 Mobile: +237 691 797 435 status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its Dr. Balo Jean Richard Dr. Douba Epee Emmanuel Christian frontiers or boundaries. SOURCES: WHO Admin boundary layers: UNDP; Affected areas: Health Cluster North West Region Emergency Field Coordinator WHO Emergency Coordinator Partners, the Media; Feedback: [email protected]. Mobile: +237 691 415 130 Mobile: +237 655 978 469