Challenges to Fight Covid-19 in Douala Metropolitan Town, Cameroon

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue IX, September 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705

Challenges to Fight Covid-19 in Douala Metropolitan Town, Cameroon

Sop Sop Maturin Désiré¹; Henock Blaise Nguendo Yongsi^2
1Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography, The Higher Teachers’ Training College-Bambili, University of Bamenda, Cameroon
²Professor, Department of Public Health, Institute of Training and Research in Demography, University of Yaoundé II-Soa, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Abstract: Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause illnesses such as the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). In 2019, a new coronavirus was identified as the cause of a disease outbreak that originated in China. Cases of COVID-19 have been reported in a growing number of cities worldwide. Cameroon recorded the first case of the Coronavirus on the 6th of March 2020 and thereafter, there was a geometric increase in the number of cases. In response to this, the government announced firm measures in an effort to curb the exponential increase of the Coronavirus cases in the country. Despite the measures, the number of cases has continued to increase, coupled with other unwanted socio-economic phenomenons. The goal of this study is to examine the challenges to fight Covid-19 in Cameroon urban settlements as with the case of Douala metropolitan city. Data used here was derived from a cross-sectional study conducted in Douala metropolitan town from May to July 2020. Desktop study and field investigations were undertaken using a questionnaire survey. It was revealed that during lockdown, the city witnessed an increase in the number of cases, increase of unemployment, increase in domestic violence, increase of mental health problems, increase in other infectious diseases and delays in other treatments. The study recommends the effective follow-up of the measures put in place by the government as well as all the stakeholders, the financial support of enterprises and an aggressive sensitization of the population.

Keywords: Covid-19; Lockdown, Domestic violence; Douala, Cameroon

I. INTRODUCTION

An outbreak of a new coronavirus disease that causes respiratory tract infections and can be lethal in humans began in China in December 2019. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the current outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory illness caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a pandemic[1]. This COVID-19 started spreading rapidly to other countries by the of December 2019. By late March 2020, the global death toll had passed 36,200, with infections rising to more than 755,500 [4]. The first case in Africa was identified in Egypt in February 2020. According to WHO (2020), there were 37 393 confirmed cases and 1 598 deaths registered in Africa by 30 April 2020. South Africa and Egypt have crossed the 5 000-cases bar. They are followed by Morocco (4 359 cases), Algeria (3 848 cases) and Ghana (2 074 cases)[7].The first case declared in Cameroon was on 6 March 2020. By 30 April 2020, there were 2069 confirmed cases and 61 deaths registered (MINSANTE, 2020). With the passage of time, new cases have been on the rise, currently making Cameroon one of the African countries most affected by the pandemic[8].The COVID-19 outbreak is spreading very fast every day and more than 4 million people have been actively infected by this virus so COVID-19 restrictions are

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