Situation Overview

Sierra Leone has seen a downward trend in the number of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases during the reporting period.

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Total number of daily tests conducted meanwhile have increased over the same period. Cumulative number of tests conducted is 41,128 (5.37/1,000 population) with an average positivity rate of 5.4%.

The overall case fatality rate remains at 3.2% with 72 reported deaths (67% male, 33% female). The median age of all positive cases is 33 years whereas the median age of fatalities is 58 years. CFR increases with age reaching 19.3% over 60 years of age.

All 16 districts in Sierra Leone have reported cases; greatest attack rates remain in Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural (combined 59.7% of all cases), as well as Bonthe, Bo, Kenema and Port Loko.

UNICEF September Highlights

Over 14,000 Community Health Workers (CHWs) nationwide have been trained and equipped with necessary knowledge and skills to integrate COVID-19 sensitization messages into routine interactions and the communitybased service package, including community surveillance, preventive, promotive and basic curative services.

UNICEF distributed 2,322 handwashing stations to benefit approximately 540,000 students and 15,350 teachers in 1,154 schools in eight of the most COVID-affected districts in preparation for schools reopening.

Building on the UNICEF-funded training of 908 Master Trainers for Safe School Protocols and Basic Psychosocial Support for Education conducted in July, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) conducted a two-day roll out training of the same for approximately 24,000 teachers at the district level.

A total of 9,687 individuals have received psychosocial support (PSS) and an additional 3,401 people were reached with PSS messaging during the reporting period.

Analysis of data from the telephone survey measuring socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on households is ongoing and will provide data on households’ access to social services such as health and water, children’s education, livelihoods and more.

UNICEF and the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone (IRCSL) have also renewed their collaboration for the mobilization of a network of 4,000 religious leaders across all 16 districts in support of maintenance of COVID-19 prevention and health seeking and care behaviours.