COVID-19 pandemic in Mozambique

A desinfection tunnel at Maputo's Central Market

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.[3][4]

The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003,[5][6] but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[7][5] Model-based simulations for Mozambique indicate that the 95% confidence interval for the time-varying reproduction number R _t has been stable around 1.0 since November 2020.[8]

• The country's first case was announced on 22 March, a 75-year-old man who returned from the United Kingdom.[9] During the month there were 8 eight confirmed cases, all of whom remained active at the end of March.[10]
• On 8 April 2020, Mozambique registered seven new positive cases of COVID-19, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 17, nine of which are local transmissions.[11] In April there were 68 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 76. Twelve patients recovered, leaving 64 active cases at the end of the month.[12]
• The first two deaths from COVID-19 occurred on 25 and 28 May.[13] During the month there were 178 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 254. The number of recovered patients increased by 79 to 91 and the death toll at the end of the month was 2, leaving 161 active cases.[14]
• After ending May with 254 confirmed cases, the number of confirmed cases had doubled by 13 June, with a further 44 cases confirmed on that day alone.[15]
• The country recorded its third death on 14 June, an 84-year-old man from Nampula Province.[16]
• There were 635 new cases on June, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 889. The death toll rose to 6. The number of recovered patients increased by 141 to 232, leaving 651 active cases at the end of the month.[17]
• In July there were 975 new cases, raising the total number of cases to 1864. The death toll almost doubled to 11. The number of recovered patients increased by 409 to 641, leaving 1212 active cases at the end of the month, up by 86% from the end of June.[18]
• There were 2052 new cases in August, raising the total number of cases to 3916. The death toll more than doubled to 23. At the end of the month there were 1723 active cases, an increase by 42% from the end of July.[19]
• There were 4640 new cases in September, raising the total number of cases to 8556. The death toll more than doubled to 59. The number of recovered patients increased to 5205, leaving 3292 active cases at the end of the month.[20]
• On 13 October 2020, Health Minister Armindo Tiago tested positive for COVID-19.[21]
• There were 4313 new cases in October, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 12869. The death toll rose to 92. The number of recovered patients increased to 10437, leaving 2340 active cases at the end of the month.[22]
• There were 2832 new cases in November, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 15701. The death toll rose to 131. The number of recovered patients increased to 13729, leaving 1841 active cases at the end of the month.[23]
• There were 2941 new cases in December, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 18642. The death toll rose to 166. The number of recovered patients increased to 16663, leaving 1813 active cases at the end of the month.[24]
• Health Minister Armindo Tiago announced on 27 January that the 501.V2 variant had been circulating in Mozambique since November 2020.[25]
• The number of confirmed cases and the death toll more than doubled in January, to 38654 and 367 respectively. The number of recovered patients increased to 23955, leaving 14332 active cases at the end of the month.[26]

• COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
• COVID-19 pandemic by country and territory