COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia

Tunisia confirmed its first case on 2 March 2020, with the victim being a 40-year-old Tunisian man from Gafsa returning from Italy.[1][10]

In addition, 74 suspected cases in Gafsa have been placed under home confinement.[10] Two of the suspected cases violated the confinement measures, and the local health directorate decided to take legal action against them.[10]

In March there were 394 confirmed cases, 10 deaths and 3 recovered patients. The number of active cases at the end of the month was 381.[11]

There were 600 new cases in April, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 994. The death toll increased to 41. The number of recovered patients grew to 305. There were 648 active cases at the end of the month.[12]

On 10 May 2020, Tunisia recorded zero new coronavirus cases for the first time since early March.[13]

During May the number of confirmed cases grew by 83 to 1077. There were seven more fatalities, bringing the death toll to 48. The number of recovered patients rose to 960, leaving 69 active cases at the end of the month.[14]

In June there were 97 new cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 1174. Two more patients died, raising the death toll to 50. The number of recovered patients grew to 1031, leaving 93 active cases at the end of the month.[15]

On 17 July, the Ministry of Public Health announced that 9 new cases tested positive as of 16 July, including 4 cases of local contamination, raising the total to 1336 confirmed cases.[16]

By the end of the month, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 1535, an increase by 361 in July. The death toll remained unchanged. The number of recovered patients grew to 1195, leaving 290 active cases by the end of the month.[17]

There were 2,268 new cases in August, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 3,803. The death toll rose to 77. There were 2,153 active cases at the end of the month.[18]

There were 13,602 new cases in September, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 17,405. The death toll more than tripled to 246.[19]

There were 42,408 new cases in October, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 59,813. The death toll more than quadrupled to 1,317. There were 53,464 active cases at the end of the month.[20]

There were 36,956 new cases in November, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 96,769. The death toll more than doubled to 3,260. The number of recovered patients increased to 70,851, leaving 22,658 active cases at the end of the month.[21]

Health Minister Faouzi Madhi extended the curfew until January 15 to cover the New Year's holiday and urging people not to hold end-of-year festivities or travel around the country. The country has seen about 50 COVID deaths per day over the last few months. Although Tunisia has not registered any cases of the new virus variant identified in the U.K., the country has suspended all flights with Britain, South Africa, and Australia.[22]

There were 42,371 new cases in December, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 139,140. The death rose to 4,676. The number of recovered patients increased to 105,364, leaving 29,100 active cases at the end of the month.[23]

The government extended its health curfew and banned demonstrations on 23 January. Tunisia reported 103 virus-related deaths on 21 January, the highest figure to date in the country, among the highest rates in Africa. Travel between regions was banned, bars and restaurants were closed except for take-out food, and university classes were transferred online. About 1,000 people have been arrested since the 2021 Tunisian protests began a week ago.[24]

There were 70,905 new cases in January, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 210,045. The death rose to 6,802. The number of recovered patients increased to 162,223, leaving 41,020 active cases at the end of the month.[25]