Regional Highlights

• The total number of COVID-19 positive cases have reached over 177,800 in all 23 countries in West and Central Africa, four months after Nigeria reported the first case. By the end of July, there were nearly 2,845 deaths, a mortality rate of about 1.6 per cent. About 28.4% of patients were still under treatment, while 70% had recovered.
• The pandemic continues to spread at an average rate of 1,477 new cases per day over the last seven days. Four countries are leading with caseloads: Nigeria (44,129), Ghana (37,812), Cameroon (17,255) and Côte d’Ivoire (16,220).
• Chad and Burkina Faso have the highest percentage of recovery, 90% and 87% respectively, while Chad and Niger have the highest case fatality rates, 8.5% and  6.2%.
• Health personnel continue to be alarmingly affected; 5,871 positive cases have been reported. Ghana (2,065), Nigeria (987) and Cameroon (593) have the most affected health personnel.
• UNFPA is working with governments and partners to ensure continuity of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) services, protect health workers and prevent and control COVID-19 infection. 
• 16,458 safe deliveries were recorded in UNFPA-supported facilities in Senegal, Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone. Over 111,964 women and youth utilised integrated SRH services in UNFPA-supported facilities in the region; 2,260 contact-tracers were trained and deployed: 1,500 women and girls subjected to violence, including those with disabilities, accessed essential services (health, social, police and justice).