The coronavirus disease COVID-19 continues to spread at the regional and global levels. As of 21 May 2022, the global cumulative incidence reached 522 820 050 reported cases and 6 292 216 associated deaths at a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.2%. Meanwhile, the 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have reported a total of 21 753 127 cases, representing about 4.16% of the global count, with 343 107 associated deaths (CFR 1.58%). Most countries in the Region are in the community transmission phase.
Since the beginning of the outbreak, the country that has reported the highest number of total cases in the Region is Islamic Republic of Iran (7 229 741 cases; 33.24% of the Region’s total), followed by Iraq (2 327 192; 10.70%) and Jordan (1 696 668; 7.80%). Islamic Republic of Iran also reported the highest number of total COVID-19-associated deaths (141 271; CFR 1.95 %) followed by Pakistan (30 379; CFR 1.99%) and Tunisia (28 632; CFR 2.75%). The highest CFRs were reported by Yemen (18.18%) followed by Sudan (7.94%) and Syria (5.64%), while the lowest CFRs were reported by Qatar (0.18%), United Arab Emirates and Bahrain (0.25% for both).
During epidemiological week 20, the Region reported a decrease in cases by 8% when compared to the previous week (17 645 cases compared to 19 246 cases). A decrease of 27% was also observed for associated deaths (120 deaths in the current week compared to 164 deaths in the previous week).
The weekly number of cases have decreased in all countries of the Region except in United Arab Emiratis (increased from 2 135 to 2 305 cases), Morocco (increased from 500 to 824 cases), Afghanistan (increased from 286 to 449 cases), and Sudan (increased from 34 to 45 cases) as compared to the previous week. This week the number of COVID-19-associated deaths also decreased in all countries of the region except in Afghanistan (increased from 6 to 8), and Iran (increased from 51 to 55) as compared to the previous week.*
In terms of testing, a total of 390 726 322 laboratory tests were conducted since the start of the outbreak across the Region including 2 198 610 tests in week 20, which shows a 17% decrease compared to the previous week when 2 639 196 tests were conducted. The highest number of PCR tests were reported from United Arab Emirates (160 327 915), followed by Islamic Republic of Iran (51 969 634) and Saudi Arabia (42 311 633). The average positivity rate for the Region is 5.57%. WHO recommends a positivity rate of around 3% to 12% as a general benchmark indicating adequate testing, which was achieved in most countries of the Region.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 vaccination continues across the Region. The total number of doses administered so far in the 22 countries is 734 687 611. Pakistan has administered the highest number of doses 25 628 705, followed by Islamic Republic of Iran at 149 206 015 and Egypt at 83 768 402. On the other hand, Somalia (2 720 035), Yemen (836 455), and Djibouti (191 649) administrated the lowest number of COVID19 doses in the Region.**
Supporting countries in the Region
The regional incident management support team continues to coordinate the response and provide technical support to countries and partners in the Region in the areas of coordination and partnership, surveillance, laboratory capacity, clinical management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, points of entry according to the International Health Regulations (2005), research, health systems, and essential health services among others.
For more data from the Region, please visit the COVID-19 dashboard.
*Reporting on weekly relative difference instead of cumulative difference to better reflect the extent of the COVID-19 pandemic as we witness a decline in reported cases. This decline could be partially due to the change in the frequency and quality of data being shared by some countries as they moved to reporting through weekly aggregated data.
**The data on vaccination is obtained from a number of sources including media reports and country websites for ministries of health.
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