Cameroon: COVID-19 outbreak

Cameroon has 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Central Region, Littoral Region and West Region as of 23 March 2020. The first positive case was confirmed on 6 March 2020. Cameroon’s Ministry of Public Health has developed a preparedness plan for COVID-19, including active surveillance at points of entry, in-country diagnostic capacity at the national reference laboratory, and designated isolation and treatment centres. WHO and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are providing technical support and are closely monitoring the situation in Cameroon. The Cameroonian Prime Minister has announced that from 18 March all land, sea, and air borders are closed until further notice due to COVID-19. No data is available regarding a preparedness plan in the Far North Region, where more than 100,000 Nigerian refugees who fled the Boko Haram insurgency are living in Minawao refugee camp or in host communities throughout the region. People over 60 represent 3% of the displaced population overall across the country.