The 18 health districts in the South West region saw some 14.745 people receiving cumulative tests done for Covid-19 both for Polymerase Chain Reaction and RTD (Random Diagnostic Test).

63 Covid-19 Treatment Centres in the Fako Division of the South West Region (SWR) are non-functional while the Buea Town Stadium which was set to be used as a centre is thus far not dismantled.

Dr. Agwe Samuel, Assistant Incident Commander for Covid-19 for the SWR warns that, though the pandemic seems to be at a declining stage, there may be a fear of resurgence.  This upsurge equates to the fact that the population is paying lesser and lesser attention to the barrier measures as stipulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Haven recorded more than 20.000.000 cases with over 1million deaths, Covid 19 in the SWR from a global perspective has registered 801 cases with 37 deaths since the start of the Pandemic. The 18 health districts in the SWR saw some 14.745 people receiving cumulative tests done for Covid-19 both for PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and RTD (Random Diagnostic Test).

The last cluster of cases where a group of Indians who came to Limbe through the sea to buy a Ship from Chantier Naval and amongst 8 of them, 7 where tested positive. To follow treatment, they were later quarantined at both the Regional Hospitals of Buea and Limbe. While the Limbe Regional Hospital (LRH) has a capacity of 5 beds, that of Buea has the potential to integrate 20 cases.

Going by Dr. Franck Zouna of the Covid Centre at the LRH, 96% of Covid-19 patients have recovered from the disease with just 10deaths recorded out of the 279 cases, thereby arriving at a minimal 3.5% mortality rate. In general, the fatality rate of Covid 19 for the SWR stands at 4.6%. This figure was divulged to us by Siyem Christa the Epidemiologist at Regional Delegation of Public Health.

Also read : https://datacameroon.com/covid-19-a-re-infection-case-at-the-bamenda-health-district/

Speaking on the Epidemiology situation she further adds, since the opening of the Frontier Health Posts with the announcement of the opening of the borders as decreed by the Minister, the lone Covid 19 positive case was detected in Ejoumojock, Mamfe on the 6^th of October 2020. This was a man who returned from a business trip to Nigeria on board a boat. As procedure will warrant it, everyone in the boat was tested and he had to be hastily quarantined for fear of infection with the others in his immediate community.

Once tested positive, one is expected to provide a list of 30 people at least because 3 is the average reproductive number of Covid 19 considered to be a cluster disease. If diagnosed positive, the treatment protocol is said to last for 10days with Hydroxic Chloroquine, Zinc II and Axitromycine given for 5days symmetrically.  However, out of the 85 health personnels infected with the disease, some lost their lives trying to save others.

Also read : https://datacameroon.com/covid-19-plus-de-90-des-upec-sans-vehicule/

On the other hand, Dr. Yupa Lionel Cedric Head of Covid Unit for the Buea Regional Hospital made public the fact that, 11 persons perished out of the 193 positive cases while, 108 were isolated at home with 65 admitted in the hospital and 31 being placed under oxygen support system. The 37^th week was the peak period as shown by statistics from the PCR trend done per EPI week.

Mundou Desmond Kufor the nurse in charge at the Covid Unit for the BRH opines that all medical personnel was duly trained on how to manage the oxygen concentrators as well as the Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE) and a host of others. He blamed the running out of stock for some Covid drugs to the rigid adherence to government policy which is centred on bulk buying. This reason accounts for the fact why most denizens in Buea say Covid 19 drugs are not free for all. No body with a patient will stand and wait for the hospital to replenish its stock of existing drugs if they are in a dying and or agonising situation.

Honorine Cheng Abuck from Buea

Work carried out with the support of AFD, Expertise France and CFI within the framework of PAGOF