The OSCE PA International Secretariat has prepared infographics presenting an overview of the main COVID-19 responses implemented in the OSCE region. The infographics offer analysis and aggregate information of interest, as well as reflect some important aspects of parliamentary engagement across the OSCE region.
GLOBAL WEEKLY TRENDS
(As of 7 May)
Overall, the number of infections and deaths in the region during the last 4 weeks has grown from approx. 1.2 to 3 million (+137%) and from approx. 83,000 to 230,000 (+175%), respectively, thus showing a comparable trend. Notably, in both cases the recorded increase of infections and deaths was more significant during the first two weeks (+76% and 103%) than in the last two (+34% and 36%), thus confirming a slower pattern in the pandemic growth. Finally, States’ testing capacity has continued to expand significantly over the last month, currently conducting on average 28,600 tests per million inhabitants, with an increase of 52% in the last fortnight.
Infections
The number of States having reported more than 1,000 infections has increased by 17.5% (10) since 10 April 2020, now accounting for 42 (73%) out of 57 States. 21 of these (37%) have also surpassed the 10,000 infections threshold. There are now 8 States (France, Germany, Italy, the Russian Federation, Spain, Turkey, UK and USA) having reported more than 100,000 cases each, accounting for approx. 2,607,000 infections combined, or 86% of the overall number of infections in the OSCE area (and 68% of global infections). In the last 4 weeks, the total number of infections in these 8 States has grown by 142% (from approx. 1 million to 2.6 million cases). Only one State has reported no infections thus far (i.e. Turkmenistan).
Deaths
Currently 15 States (26%) have reported more than 1,000 COVID-19-related deaths, accounting for the vast majority (97%) of victims in the OSCE region. 8 of these States have surpassed the 1,000 threshold during the last month while only 5 States reported more than 10,000 victims (USA, Spain, Italy, France and UK). The number of victims in these 5 States increased by approx. 97% in the first fortnight (+68,000) and by 34.5% (+48,000) in the second. Combined, these 5 States account for 186,000 victims, representing approx. 81% of the overall victims in the OSCE region (and 70% of global deaths). 3 States (5%) have reported no deaths so far (i.e. the Holy See, Mongolia and Turkmenistan).
Tests
Testing rates among States have continued to increase significantly. Currently, 41 States (72%) have conducted more than 10,000 tests per million inhabitants, which shows an increase of 42% (+24 States) compared to the beginning of April. Notably, there are now 29 States which have conducted more than 20,000 tests per million inhabitants, compared to only 5 at the beginning of April. The average testing rate for this group of States is now approx. 44,000 tests per million inhabitants, with Cyprus, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta and San Marino, conducting more than 50,000 tests per million each.
Overview of the OSCE Participating States’ Responses
(As of 3 April)
STATE OF EMERGENCY
Consequently, almost 2/3 (62%) of the OSCE pS declared a “state of emergency”, or a similar regime, to facilitate the swift enactment of several countermeasures. Some of them adopted it only on a regional level.
SOCIAL DISTANCING & PERSONAL CONFINEMENT
The vast majority of pS, 54 (95%) adopted measures intended to introduce varying degrees of personal confinement. Only 3 (5%) pS refrained from introducing such measures so far.
ELECTRONIC MONITORING MEASURES
As of now, 12 out of 57 pS (or 21%) are making use of some sort of electronic monitoring tools to prevent/mitigate the further spreading of the virus, as well as to control enforcement of adopted social distancing measures.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS & BORDER SHUTDOWNS
Out of 57 OSCE pS, 53 (93%) have imposed some level of international travel restriction, while 3 (5%) have not restricted travel from the beginning of the global Covid19 outbreak. Measures undertaken vary, including entry and exit ban for foreign nationals, a mandatory quarantine regime for travellers and other.
IMPACT ON THE SCHEDULED ELECTIONS
Out of the 40 pS (100%) which have elections scheduled in 2020, 18 (45%) have already postponed, or cancelled, them due to the Covid19 outbreak. In 22 pS (55%) elections are still planned to take place as originally scheduled. It should be noted that 17 pS have no elections planned for 2020.
DISCLAIMER: The overview of the OSCE participating States’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic has been collated for informative and comparative purposes based on open sources data. As such, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly makes no claims nor warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, about its completeness and reliability.
