COVID-19 Infection, Death Rates Fall to Lowest Levels Since Onset

Mar 26 , 2022


[ssba-buttons]

Data from the Ministry of Health reveals that COVID-19 infection rates have dropped to the lowest levels since the pandemic's early days in 2020. Less than 900 people have tested positive for the virus thus far in March 2022, while the death toll remains under 30 for the month. The figures are the lowest since the pandemic first began to ramp up between March and May 2020. Though the lull is an encouraging sign, health officials urge the public to continue practicing social distancing and wearing face masks, as similar drops in infection and death rates were observed in the lead up to the three separate COVID-19 waves to hit the country since the first case was detected in March 2020. The pandemic's death toll sits near 7,500, with nearly 470,000 confirmed cases over the past two years. Health professionals have administered close to 29.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since the Ministry kicked off its vaccination campaign a year ago.


Radar

New Directive Tightens Rules for Foreign Employment Agencies

The Ministry of Labour & Skills has issued a directive under the Ethiopian foreign employment framework, setting clear standards for agency size, capital, and operations. Depending on their level, newly established agencies can serve between 10 and over 100 workers a day. Office space requirements range from 100sqm to 700sqm, tied to operational scale. Level-one agencies must hold a paid-up capital of 20 million Br and place a security deposit of 250,000 dollars or its birr equivalent...


Radar

Audit Findings Expose Deepening Gaps in Accountability

A new study reveals that audit irregularities in Ethiopia have continued to rise year after year, driven by weak enforcement and unresolved legacy problems. The finding, commissioned by the Office of the Federal Auditor General (OFAG) and conducted by independent researchers from Addis Abeba University, examined audit reports covering 2009–2023. The study attributes the persistent irregularities to limited accountability, poor follow-up, and reduced audit coverage during political transitio...


Radar

Africa Maritime Conference Sets Sights on Seafaring Innovation

The Ministry of Transport & Logistics has launched the first-ever Africa Maritime Conference, marking a bold move to position landlocked Ethiopia as a continental hub for seafaring innovation at a time of global talent shortages. At a pre-conference briefing, Frans Joubert, CEO of YCF Manning Ltd, underscored Africa's untapped potential in the maritime sector. Of the 1.9 million seafarers worldwide, only four percent are African—despite the continent hosting around 150 maritime academie...