Short report on implications of Covid-19 and emerging zoonotic infectious diseases for pastoralists and Africa

Abstract

Many emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious diseases occur in Africa. These are projected to increase as human-animal host contact increases owing to increasing environmental degradation that shrinks nature habitats for wildlife over the continent. The current outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for causing coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) has reinvigorated discourse on the disruptiveness of the zoonotic emerging infectious diseases, owing to their transboundary character. Even as the world focuses on the COVID-19 sweeping pandemic, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS)-CoV re-emerged in Saudi Arabia infecting 18 people with five deaths; this has barely received any attention. This outbreak is particularly of concern to the pastoralists in the Horn of Africa, a region that has in recent past seen an increase in camel trade with the Gulf States, especially Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Emerging and re-emerging zoonotic infectious diseases are complex, depend on human-animal-environment interaction and pose a strain on public health systems. There is a need to address these diseases dynamically through a synergistic approach, drawing on expertise from diverse sectors. One Health approach has distinguished itself as an integrative action able to bring together multiple actors on a global, national and local scale to advance the attainment of optimal health outcomes for people, animals and the environment. One Health works by strengthening the preparedness, response, mitigation and monitoring of zoonotic infectious disease risks collaboratively. We opine that as zoonotic emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases continue to rise over pastoral Africa, comprehensive implementation of the One Health approach will be urgently required.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security among East and West African pastoralists

“…The complex and interconnected determinants of food security among African pastoralists, including access and utilization of health services, access to markets, droughts and environmental variation, conflict, and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic, cannot be addressed by one sector or group of stakeholders. It instead requires a One Health approach in which intersectoral collaboration across groups of stakeholders generates broad solutions that combat the combined impacts of the pandemic and other livelihood shocks (Egeru et al, 2020;Griffith et al, 2020b;Yousuf et al, 2020). As it relates to the pandemic, One Health provides the opportunity to implement targeted public health measures in combination with livelihood support, overall resulting in improved food security (Food Security Cluster, 2020;Griffith et al, 2020b;Mardones et al, 2020).…”

“…The rates of zoonotic diseases, which are spread from animals to people, are consistently higher in pastoral areas (Egeru et al, 2020;Griffith et al, 2020a). Reduced access to healthcare and veterinary services during the pandemic in these areas may be leading to increased incidence of zoonoses in livestock and people.…”

Addressing Africa’s pandemic puzzle: Perspectives on COVID-19 transmission and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa

“…Africa has extensive experience with a number of historical and emerging infectious diseases, including the plague, cholera, malaria, sleeping sickness, Ebola, HIV and TB ( Egeru et al, 2020 , El-Sadr and Justman, 2020 , Mwisongo and Nabyonga-Orem, 2016 , Quaglio et al, 2020 ). Therefore, African countries already have a high capacity to combat pathogen outbreaks ( El-Sadr and Justman, 2020 , Mwisongo and Nabyonga-Orem, 2016 , Quaglio et al, 2020 ).…”

Consequences of COVID-19 on the Reindeer Husbandry in Norway: a Pilot Study Among Management Staff and Herders

“…Restricting mobility and social distancing have proven to be effective measure to control the spread of COVID-19 (Kissler et al, 2020 ). Nomadic pastoralists, who are highly mobile for daily herding of their livestock, are thus at higher risk of a rapid spread of COVID-19 (Egeru et al, 2020 ; Griffith et al, 2020 ; Yousuf et al, 2020 ) so that the management of the pandemic amongst pastoralists is especially challenging (Griffith et al, 2020 ). For example, among pastoralists in the Greater Horn of Africa, Griffith et al ( 2020 ) found that COVID-19 control efforts negatively impact livelihoods and food, income, and nutrition security.…”