3 March 2020, Cairo, Egypt - 1682 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in 14 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region as of 2 March, 6pm Cairo local time. These include 66 deaths reported in Islamic Republic of Iran. While the numbers inside China have been rapidly declining, the sudden increase in cases in countries outside China, including in...

Cairo, Egypt, 16 February, 2020 - The World Health Organization announces a total of nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Eastern Mediterranean Region as of 16 February 2020. Eight cases were reported in by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health and Prevention between 29 January and 9 February, and one case was reported by the Egyptian...

4 February 2020 – On this day, we are spelling out the need to step up cancer services to save the lives of millions. Worldwide, 9.6 million people die from cancer every year. In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, cancer is the fourth leading cause of death. The rate is expected to almost double in the next two decades, from an estimated 676 500...

Cairo, Egypt, 29 January 2020 – The World Health Organization (WHO) today confirmed the first cases of 2019-nCoV in the Eastern Mediterranean Region in the United Arab Emirates. This follows earlier confirmation by the Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates on 29 January. Four members of the same family from Wuhan City in...

27 January 2020, Cairo, Egypt – In light of the continued global situation related to the transmission of novel coronavirus, WHO’s Regional Office continues to work closely with Member States in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to ensure that national preparedness and response efforts are accelerated in line with the International Health...

WHO launches new report on global tobacco use trends 19 December, 2019 | Geneva: For the first time, the World Health Organization projects that the number of males using tobacco is on the decline, indicating a powerful shift in the global tobacco epidemic. The findings, published today in a new WHO report, demonstrate how government-led action can...

WHO launches regional nutrition strategy to help countries #beatNCDs 12 December 2019 – Malnutrition, in all its forms, is negatively impacting the health, well-being and sustainable development of people of all ages in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region, particularly in those countries affected by conflict in which people are experiencing high levels...

12 December 2019 - On Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day, WHO has called on leaders in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to make sure that everyone has access to the health services they need despite the many challenges facing the Region. According to recent research, essential health services are less widely accessible in the Eastern...

21 November 2019 – In light of recent comments on social media, the World Health Organization (WHO) clarifies that it does not engage with tobacco companies and does not support visits to tobacco company facilities in any way. WHO’s Constitution, rules, and regulations, including its Framework of engagement with non-State actors, prohibit...

20 November 2019, Cairo, Egypt – The World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is pleased to announce the establishment of a Commission on Social Determinants of Health to lead action on the social determinants of health in the Region with the aim of achieving health equity. It aims to establish a comprehensive evidence...