A day after the announcement of relaxed measures against restrictive quarantine requirements, the Ministry of Health has reported a record number of 399 new cases, witnessing spikes of COVID-19.
In her situational report, Lia Tadesse (MD), Minister of Health has announced unusually being late yesterday , that out of the 4,848 laboratory tests conducted in 24 hours, 399 samples have turned out to be positive.
The total cases now have jumped to reach 4,469 with 72 deaths. Total recoveries have reached more than 1,122. The Minister has reported 95 newly recovered penitents as part of the total recoveries.
So far, a total of 211,871 tests have been conducted, though the new spikes are due to the samples taken from “high risk communities”, according to the Minister’s report, these represent returnees or passengers that are required to remain under mandatory quarantine.
On Friday, the Minister has relaxed some guidelines and requirements. For instance,14 days of mandatory quarantine in a health facility or isolation centers that was set compulsive for returnees and travelers,has now being slashed to seven days.
Furthermore, those who can imagine, can be let go to isolate themselves at home at least for seven days. People with positive cases as well are allowed to stay home in isolation. Burials have also been okayed even without the previous mandatory tests for COVID-19 tests.
Amid a few health experts kept urging the government to consider a total lockdown of Addis Ababa, the Minister has prefer to go the either way round.