MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 38
Reporting period: from 7 to 13 December 2020
Coronavirus cases: 9041 Active cases: 4216 Recovered: 4319 Deaths: 506[1]
HIGHLIGHTS
As of 12 December, the Syrian Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 9041 laboratory-confirmed cases, 4319 recoveries and 506 deaths.
In GoS-controlled areas of the country, 9041 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported by the Syrian MoH as of 12 December. Of these, 7 were in Ar-Raqqa; 22 in Deir-Ez-Zor; 35 in Al-Hasakeh; 127 in Quneitra; 418 in Hama; 513 in Tartous; 540 in As-Sweida;553 in Dar’a; 933 in Lattakia; 1032 in Rural Damascus; 1385 in Homs; 1566 in Aleppo; 1910 in Damascus.
As of 8 December, 239 health care workers (HCW) have tested positive for COVID-19 in GoS-controlled areas. Of these, 12 fatalities have been reported, while 114 cases remain active.
In NWS (as of 7 December), a total of 17,527 confirmed cases were reported (9,648 from Idleb and 7,879 from Aleppo governorates), including 221 deaths. A total of 8,334 people reportedly recovered. Of all cases, 1,618 (9.23 per cent) were among HCWs, and 747 (4.26 per cent) were identified among community health workers, as well as other staff working in health facilities. A total of 1,596 (9.63 per cent) cases were reported from IDP camps.
In NES (as of 6 December), there have been 7,256 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of these, 5,984 are currently recorded as active, 1,058 have recovered, and there have been 214 confirmed deaths.
In NES (as of 6 December), 667 of the 7,256 confirmed cases of COVID-19 (9 per cent of all cases) were recorded amongst healthcare workers (HCWs). Of these, 205 (28 per cent of all cases among health workers) have been recorded in Al-Hasakeh city.
As of 30 November, according to updates provided by 10 NES NGOs, covering 88 health facilities, three health facilities were closed or partially closed, including one in Raqqa (Mahmoudli), one in Al-Hasakeh city, and one in Kobane. A further 13 health facilities were closed or partially closed at some point during November due to infection among staff. As of 30 November, there were 77 staff in self-isolation/quarantine from nine NGOs, while a further 56 health staff from eight NGOs have been in self-isolation or self-quarantine at some point during November.
Increasing testing capacity continues to be a focus in NWS, In total 60,497 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have been completed, including 31,261 in Aleppo and 29,236 in Idleb governorates, with a test positivity rate of 23.18 per cent. Daily testing capacity has nearly doubled since October, to an average of over 1,000 tests per day.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
Over the reporting period, the WHO supported three workshops to coincide with World Antibiotics Awareness Week, to promote behavioral change and to address critical issues related to antimicrobials, including in the context of COVID-19. WHO, with UNICEF, further supported a 20-day awareness campaign in Homs and Hama on preventive measures, utilizing ten teams to reach 280,000 people, including school children, in 200 locations across the two governorates.
During the reporting period, more than 9,000 suspected COVID-19 cases and contacts were investigated within 24 hours of an alert received. Also, WHO supported the transport of 2,072 suspected case specimens to the central laboratories.
Given the additional challenges of the current co-circulation of influenza and COVID-19, WHO supported the activation of influenza surveillance in three sentinel sites in Damascus and Aleppo. Twenty-five surveillance officers were trained, and six laboratory staff were trained in testing samples for influenza and COVID-19.
The WHO supported two three-day workshops on points of entry (PoE) capacity in Aleppo and Deir-Ez-Zor for 58 participants. WFP, as the Logistics Cluster lead, continues to monitor PoE, including operational status, capacity, new developments, and restrictions.
The WHO supported training for laboratory technicians working in Al-Hasakeh to support increased laboratory capacity in NES.
To date, WHO has provided a wide range of reagents and supplies needed for conducting approximately 70,000 tests, in addition to five polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines and two extraction machines, 5,000 waste bags and 21,000 bags for samples, and six months’ PPE for staff.
WHO delivered a further 3,000 PPE to NGO partners, and currently has over five million additional PPE in the pipeline. To date, WHO has delivered more than six million PPE items.
Light rehabilitation of WASH systems has been carried out in 15 quarantine, and isolation facilities, including Al-Hol and Dweir quarantine centers, and over 625,000 items of PPE were provided by UNICEF to partners in November, including to hospitals.
In the reporting period, ICRC continued the rehabilitation of WASH facilities in 42 schools in Dar’a. In addition, local NGOs in As-Sweida provided over 5,500 masks to students in 39 schools, in addition to provided RCCE materials. In Aleppo and Deir-Ez-Zor, trained teachers delivered COVID-19 preventive measures sessions to students. Additionally, 12,000 soap bars have been provided to schools in Homs, Hama, Tartous, and Lattakia. A partner completed the COVID-19 and WASH-related hygiene behavior awareness sessions in 13 schools in Eastern Ghouta and distributed child and adolescent kits for 4,357 students.
WHO supported the delivery of two ambulances to support the referral system in Aleppo and Idleb, and supported training for 235 healthcare workers on case management in Homs, Aleppo, Dar’a, Al-Hasakeh, and Quneitra, including on ventilator management.
During the reporting period, there were a total of 902 psycho-social support (PSS) consultations through the MHPSS helpline. WHO has provided SOPs on Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) service provision in COVID-19 Community Treatment Centers (CCTCs), including the responsibilities of the psycho-social workers in providing PSS counselling.
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 35
Reporting period: from Dec 8 to Dec 12, 2020
Coronavirus cases: 146,520 Deaths: 1,200 Recovered: 101,334
Highlights
According to representatives of the World Health Organization, Lebanon has shown good performance in fighting the pandemic despite its extremely difficult circumstances.
A group of Lebanese researchers revealed a scientific achievement within the framework of combating the Corona pandemic, through the use of "nanotechnology"; an achievement that received two efficacy certificates, the first global from the Valencia Institute of Microbiology in Spain, and the second local from the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) at the Lebanese University,
During this reporting period, Lebanon registered an average of 1404 new cases per day.
Updated Measures
On 12/13/2020, the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities issued Resolution No. 1556 regarding the amendment of preventive measures to confront the Corona epidemic, as it begins to be applied from the morning of 12/14/2020 until the morning of 12/21/2020. New measures include banning people from commuting on streets and roads between 11:30 PM and 5:00 Am. Also, it is now allowed to hold public and private parties or social and cultural events, with a capacity of 25% at home and 50% abroad, provided that the number of attendees does not exceed 100 persons in all cases.
Preparedness and response
The Ministry of Public Health announced the arrival of three hundred thousand (300,000) additional vaccines from the seasonal influenza vaccine INFLUVAC-TETRA, with the aim of covering the additional demand for this vaccine coinciding with the Corona pandemic.
According to Independent Arabia, Caretaker Hamad Hassan claimed that Lebanon booked around 2 million Pfizer vaccines that will be given to around 30 percent of the Lebanese population.
[1] Microsoft power MOH, 5 Dec