The coronavirus disease COVID-19 continues to spread at the regional and global levels. As of 29 October 2022, the global cumulative incidence reached 627 425 564 reported cases and 6 583 548 associated deaths at a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.05%. Meanwhile, the 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have reported a total of 23 152 504 cases, representing about 3.69% of the global count, with 348 692 associated deaths (CFR 1.51%). 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 (7 557 364; 32.64% of the Region’s total), followed by Iraq (2 461 450; 10.63%) and Jordan (1 746 997; 7.55%). Islamic Republic of Iran also reported the highest number of total COVID-19 associated deaths (144 571; CFR 1.91%), followed by Pakistan (30 626; CFR 1.95 %) and Tunisia (29 259; CFR 2.55%). The highest CFRs were reported by Yemen (18.08%), followed by Sudan (7.83%) and Syria (5.51%), while the lowest CFRs were reported by United Arab Emirates (0.23%), Bahrain (0.22) and Qatar (0.15%).
During epidemiological week 43, the Region reported a decrease in cases by 7% when compared to the previous week (13 827cases compared to 14 874 cases). A decrease by 3% was also observed for associated deaths (69 deaths in the current week compared to 71 deaths in the previous week).
The weekly number of cases have decreased in many countries of the Region except in 8 out of 22 countries as compared to the previous week. This week the number of COVID-19 associated deaths also decreased in all countries except in four out of 22 countries of the Region as compared to the previous week.*
In terms of testing, a total of 437 613 276 laboratory tests were conducted since the start of the outbreak across the Region including 1 436 108 tests in week 43, which shows a 4% increase as compared to the previous week when 1 384 939 tests were conducted. The highest number of PCR tests were reported from United Arab Emirates (194 993 406), followed by Islamic Republic of Iran (54 350 522) and Saudi Arabia (44 580 084). The average positivity rate for the Region is 5.29%. 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 832 478 911. Pakistan has administered the highest number of doses at 313 046 883, followed by Islamic Republic of Iran at 154 595 253 and Egypt at 100 118 154. On the other hand, Bahrain (3 473 218), Yemen (1 139 242) and Djibouti (274 234) administrated the lowest number of COVID-19 vaccine 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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