- Several countries in Southern and Eastern Africa have reported a significant uptick in daily cases over the past week, including Kenya and South Africa.
- All countries in Southern and Eastern Africa have now been affected by the pandemic, with Lesotho recording its first case on 13 May. Cross-border transmission is a rising concern.
- The pandemic has gained considerable pace in the region: numbers of people who contracted COVID-19 rose from 6,848 in 24 countries on 22 April to 33,276 in 26 countries by 22 May.
- Multiple locations have reported a spike in gender-based violence during the outbreak, as communities face rising economic pressure.
- Resources are urgently needed to scale-up the life-saving response and common services for the outbreak.
KEY FIGURES
- 41,578 total cases in the region (as of 27 May)
- 965 total deaths
- 26 countries affected in the region
