Several major world powers have a military presence in Djibouti, including China, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States. The country's first confirmed case was a member of the Spanish military, and the entire unit was quarantined at the French military base in Djibouti.[3]
On 18 March, the first COVID-19 case in Djibouti was confirmed, in a member of the Spanish Special Forces who arrived on 14 March for Operation Atalanta and tested positive on 17 March.[3][4] The infected soldier did not interact with the local population,[5] and Spain announced that the team would be repatriated.[4] A contractor working for the United States Department of Defense at Camp Lemonnier, the largest and only permanent US military base in Djibouti, tested positive for COVID-19 the same month.[6] A total of 30 cases were confirmed by the end of March.[7]
On 2 April, the World Bank approved US$5 million in emergency funding for Djibouti as part of the Djibouti COVID-19 Response Project.[8] By 5 April, the number of confirmed cases had risen to 59.[9]
On 9 April, Djibouti recorded its first coronavirus death. There were 140 people infected with COVID-19, while 28 people recovered.[10] On 23 April, the US military in Djibouti declared a public health emergency. By 24 April, Djibouti had the highest prevalence in Africa.[11] A second case in Camp Lemonnier was confirmed in late April,[12] triggering an indefinite lockdown.[13]
U.S. Navy Lt. Gail Evangelista, nurse, assigned to Naval Hospital Rota, Spain, dons a facemask prior to interacting with a patient at the Michaud Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, April 16, 2020.There were 1059 new cases in April,[14] 2265 in May,[15] 1328 in June,[16] 399 in July,[17] 306 in August,[18] 29 in September,[19] 145 in October,[20] 116 in November,[21] and 154 in December.[22] The total number of cases stood at 1089 in April,[14] 3354 in May,[15] 4682 in June,[16] 5081 in July,[17] 5387 in August,[18] 5416 in September,[19] 5561 in October,[20] 5677 in November,[21] and 5831 in December.[22]
The number of recovered patients stood at 642 in April,[14] 1504 in May,[15] 4524 in June,[16] 4996 in July,[17] 5441 in October,[20] 5582 in November,[21] and 5728 in December,[22] leaving 445 active cases at the end of April,[14] 1826 at the end of May,[15] 104 at the end of June,[16] 27 at the end of July,[17] 4 at the end of August,[18] 11 at the end of September,[19] 59 at the end of October,[20] 34 at the end of November,[21] and 42 at the end of December.[22]
The first two deaths occurred in April.[14] The death toll rose to 24 in May,[15] 54 in June,[16] 58 in July,[17] 60 in August,[18] and 61 in September.[19]
Vaccination started on 15 March, initially with 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca's Covishield vaccine provided through COVAX.[23]
There were 101 new cases in January,[24] 134 in February,[25] 1936 in March,[26] 3119 in April,[27] 412 in May,[28] 69 in June, 50 in July,[29] 98 in August,[30] 1061 in September,[31] 667 in October,[32] 26 in November,[33] and 152 in December.[34] The total number of cases stood at 5932 in January,[24] 6066 in February,[25] 8002 in March,[26] 11121 in April,[27] 11533 in May,[28] 11602 in June, 11652 in July,[29] 11750 in August,[30] 12811 in September,[31] 13478 in October,[32] 13504 in November,[33] and 13656 in December.[34]
The number of recovered patients stood at 5845 in January,[24] 5897 in February,[25] 6460 in March,[26] 10816 in April,[27] 11369 in May,[28] 11443 in June, 11490 in July,[29] 11589 in August,[30] 12149 in September,[31] 13249 in October,[32] 13293 in November,[33] and 13370 in December,[34] leaving 42 active cases at the end of January,[24] 106 at the end of February,[25] 1472 at the end of March,[26] 160 at the end of April,[27] 10 at the end of May,[28] 4 at the end of June, 6 at the end of July,[29] 4 at the end of August,[30] 495 at the end of September,[31] 48 at the end of October,[32] 25 at the end of November,[33] and 97 at the end of December.[34]
The death toll rose to 63 in January,[24] 70 in March,[26] 145 in April,[27] 154 in May,[28] 155 in June, 156 in July,[29] 157 in August,[30] 167 in September,[31] 181 in October,[32] 186 in November,[33] and 189 in December.[34]
There were 1795 new cases in January,[35] 96 in February,[36] 40 in March,[37] 44 in April,[38] 24 in May,[39] 35 in June,[40] 63 in July,[41] and 207 in September.[42] The total number of cases stood at 15451 in January,[35] 15547 in February,[36] 15587 in March,[37] 15631 in April,[38] 15655 in May,[39] 15690 in June,[40] 15753 in July,[41] and 15960 in September.[42]
The number of recovered patients stood at 15175 in January,[35] 15352 in February,[36] 15391 in March,[37] 15431 in April,[38] 15451 in May,[39] and 15497 in June,[43] leaving 87 active cases at the end of January,[35] 6 at the end of February,[36] 7 at the end of March,[37] 11 at the end of April,[38] 15 at the end of May,[39] and 4 at the end of June.[43]
No new deaths were recorded in 2022, leaving the death toll at 189.[42]
On 15 March, Djibouti announced that all commercial passenger flights would be suspended starting 18 March.[3] Trains were also stopped on 20 March.[5] The World Health Organization has provided personal protective equipment to Djibouti.[5] The government announced the closure of all schools and places of worship on March 19 and 22 respectively. A countrywide lockdown was first announced on 23 March and progressively extended until 8 May.[45]
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