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 about 10,000 on 1 May to nearly 50,000 by the end of the month.

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.