Ethiopia's COVID-19 cases surpass 140,000

The Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday reported 749 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, taking the national count to 140,157.

The COVID-19 death toll rose to 2,126 after four new fatalities were recorded, the ministry said.With 254 more recoveries registered, the nationwide count amounted to 124,242, it added.

Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous nation, is one of the countries hardest hit by the pandemic in Africa, after South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

The country has so far reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the east African region.The Ethiopian government has been urging the public to implement COVID-19 precautionary measures so as to contain the spread of the virus.

The east African nation has so far conducted 1,986,007 COVID-19 tests, including 6,002 new tests during the last 24 hours, said the ministry.

Ethiopia is one of the African countries which have conducted the most COVID-19 tests, mainly next to South Africa and Morocco, according to recent figures from the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )