MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report

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SYRIA: COVID-19

Humanitarian Update No. 09

Reporting period: from 15 to 19 May 2020

Coronavirus cases: 58          Deaths: 3          Recovered: 36 [1]

Highlights

  • On May 17, the Ministry of Health announced the registration of 7 new cases of coronavirus coming from the State of Kuwait, raising the number of total cases recorded in Syria to 58. The average age is 45.1 years (ranging from 7 years to 75 years), with 50 per cent of cases over 50 years old. Three cases are below 10 years old.

  • As of 15 May, according to the MoH, around 3,350 tests have been conducted by the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) in Damascus, and an additional 44 tests by the public health laboratory in Aleppo, 22 in Lattakia and 30 in Homs.

  • To  date, more  than 3,000 Syrians  abroad –out  of  a  reported  10,000  registered –have  been repatriated.

  • Despite the relaxations of precautionary measures, during the reporting period, the Government of Syria (GoS) indicated that a “full curfew” remained possible, should factors related to the virus necessitate it.

  • As of 15 May, the laboratories have performed testing for around 3,200 cases for COVID-19, with 100-150 tests currently performed per day.

Humanitarian Impact

  • The informal exchange rate further weakened during the reporting period to its lowest point on record (SYP 1,975 to US $1), closing at around SYP 1,850 at the time of writing.

  • According to preliminary estimates, 9.3 million people in Syria are now considered food insecure; an increase of  1.4  million  in  the  past  six  months. while - Prior to the COVID-19 crisis- an estimated 80 per cent of people in Syria already lived below the poverty line, with high and increasing levels of food insecurity.

  • According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MoSAL), more than 320,000 people registered for the National Campaign for Emergency  Social  Response  for  assistance  due  to  work  lost  as  a  result  of  COVID-19 preventive measures. Of these, 91 per cent are daily labourers, 10.9 per cent are older persons, and 8 per cent are people with disabilities.

Preparedness and Response

  • As the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 for Syria are likely to be far-reaching in nature, the Life-saving food assistance to 3.5 million people has continued.

  • UNFPA continues to provide essential maternal and neonatal health services, in addition to GBV prevention and response services. in particular, GBV prevention awareness raising

  • UNICEF has initiated pilot training of caregivers/mothers to take Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measurements for their children. This will enable affected children to be identified early and referred for treatment.

  • In the reporting period, child protection and Communication for Development (C4D) teams reached 1,550 families in informal settlements in Ar-Raqqa and 2,750 families in Areesha camp. UNICEF also continued a one-month physical distancing awareness initiative-utilizing volunteers in Al-Hasakeh and Ar-Raqqa, targetingkey service centers such as hospitals, bakeries, and post offices.

  • During the reporting period UNICEF and WHO conducted remote training of 175 case workers on COVID-19 and  protection,  focusing  on  modalities  of  remote  case  management,  psychosocial  support, Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)  and Gender-based violence (GBV).

  • UNRWA  has  reached  over  35,000  children  online  learning  platforms and  provided psychosocial  support  and  hygiene awareness through psychosocial counsellors.

  • UNHCR continued supporting 37 protection partners utilizing 860 WhatsApp groups on awareness raising. In addition, the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) reached 1,693 people with awareness raising in the reporting period, including families with specific needs.

  • WHO has provided support with 1,690 items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), disinfection materials, and 200 Information Education Communication (IEC) materials to the Lattakia Department of Health (DoH).

  • During the reporting period, WHO delivered 5,000 waste bags and 10,000 bags for samples to Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL).

  • In the reporting period, 30 MT of medical supplies (including medicines, essential supplies and PPE) arrived in Qamishli by road.This is the WHO’s first road shipment to NES with GoS approval since 2018.

  • The Education sector is also mapping WASH needs in schools; so far, 1.15 million soap bars and IPC materials for 11,500 schools have been procured. Further, alongside WASH sector partners, mapping has commenced to support WASH needs at 5,000 exam centers across the country for upcoming exams scheduled on 21 June.

  • During this  reporting  period,  UNICEF,  including  in  its  capacity  as  the  WASH  cluster  lead,  continued  to  engage  with  the Health sector and other actors to strengthen Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) in healthcare facilities, schools and learning spaces, youth centers and communities.

  • UNICEF also supported delivery of PPEs  and hand  sanitizers  to implementing partners  in  Hama,  Aleppo,  Tartous and  Homs governorates, and trained 63 health workers in Deir-Ez-Zor in correct use of PPE.

  • UNFPA distributed 3,667 dignity kits through partners in three governorates.

  • UNHCR and SARC also commenced implementation of  two  community-led  initiatives  in  Quneitra,  distributing  hygiene   kits  including disinfectants and cleaning materials to families who could not otherwise afford them.

  • Further, Triangle Génération Humanitaire continued to support distribution of a further 618 hygiene kits and 8,310 soap bars in Hama and Rural Damascus in partnership with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC).

  • International Medical Corps (IMC) in partnership with SARC also continued distributions with 7,050 soap bars to three hospitals, 17 health centers, one school health center, one communicable disease division and five SARC centers in Deir-Ez-Zor provided to date.

  • SSSD also contributed to sterilization campaigns of public places and facilities in Aleppo and Ar-Raqqa, including clinics, public hospitals, and pharmacies, and distributed face masksto shop owners in Aleppo.

  • Action Against Hunger has also procured over 600,000 items of PPE, alcohol hand rubs and disinfectant sprays to distribute to isolation centers.

  • WHO continues  to  deliver case  management trainings(resuscitation  and  ventilation  management).During  the  reporting period, 50 health workers were trained in Aleppo and Dar’a, with more planned in Queneitra, Damascus and As-Sweida.

  • Three NFI partners have also reallocated funds for hygiene kits, and UNICEF also distributed hygiene kits to11,182 beneficiaries in four IDP settlements in Aleppo.

  • Within  Syria,  the financial  requirements  for  the  revised  COVID-19  operational  response  plan  are  currently  estimated  at $188.6  million. Requirements will be  updated  as  the  situation  evolves and  aligned  to  the  Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP).

  • To  date,  sectors  have identified  approximately  $32.6 million  from  either  new  contributions  or  existing  funding  reallocated  or  repurposed  from programmes  suspended  due  to  COVID-19  mitigation  measures,  which  can  be  used  for  immediate  response.[2]

Updated governmental measures

Coronavirus cases: 106          Deaths: 4          Recovered: 41

On Monday May 25th, the government team in charge with confronting the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic decided the following:

  • Lift the nightly curfew completely as of the evening of Tuesday May 26th.

  • The team decided to lift the restriction of movement among provinces and allow public transportation among them.

  • Extend the period during which shops can open to be from 8 AM to 7 PM.

  • The team decided to suspend the efforts to return the Syrians stranded abroad until further notice.

  • Social occasions such as weddings and funerals are still not permitted.

  • The public parks, gyms, swimming pools, cultural centers, theaters, and private institutes are to remain closed.

  • The tourist facilities such as cafes and restaurants are still pending to another review of the situation during the next week.

  • The team noted that there is still a possibility of a full curfew in the future depending on developments related to the pandemic.

Lebanon: COVID-19

Humanitarian Update #6

Reporting period: from 20 to 26 May 2020

Coronavirus cases: 1,119          Deaths: 26          Recovered: 688

Highlights

  • The Ministry of Health confirmed that within just 2 days, 125 coronavirus cases were reported, only 30 of which were expats.

  • The Ministry of Public health Hamad Hasan claimed that despite the dramatic increase in cases, there is no virus "community spread" in the country, as most of them were reported in towns of Majdal Anjar and Mazboud and in two buildings inhabited by foreign workers in Beirut's Ras al-Nabaa area.[3]

  • On the 23rd of May, Lebanon registered only 11 new cases signifying a significant drop in infection rate.[4]

  • With the beginning of Ramadan, Lebanon fears that the corona infection rate might spike up again despite rampant optimism.

Preventive measures

  • Being the fifth time the government has extended the lockdown, Lebanon has prolonged the “state of general mobilization” until June 7 after an increase in daily coronavirus cases.[5]

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hassan, announced a new “Herd Immunity” plan and stressed on the the necessity of merging efforts to reduce the societal outbreak of the epidemic and its disastrous effects.

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hassan during his visit to Majd el Anjar, announced that preventive measures if abided, will allow Lebanon to prevent the immergence of a second wave.

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hassan and his team made it a priority to tour several municipalities in Bekaa area, to make sure that preventive measures are being fully implemented.

Humanitarian Impact

  • In a report published by the DRC (Danish Refugee Council), 89% of refugee households have changed their residence due to fears of COVID-19.

  • According to the WFP (World Food Program) the COVID-19 situation in Lebanon has inflated the required budget to 147.4 million USD for six months (June - November 2020).

  • The World Bank estimates extreme food poverty at 22 percent (up from 16 percent in 2019). This means that in 2020, Lebanon could count as many as 335,000 poor households, including 163,000 extremely poor households.

  • According to a study by CAMEALEON, debts of 75% of Syrian refugees have increased since the beginning of COVID-19, due to the purchasing of extra hygiene material. Also, it has been reported that refugees started spending less on food items.

Preparedness and Response

  • According to the Health Ministry report, 2,204 PCR tests were administered on the 23rd of May.

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hasan convened with Salma Assi, the spokeswoman for medical equipment importers in Lebanon to discuss the issues and challenges the sector is facing. She insisted that he would assist in removing the obstacles to import medical supplies and mitigate the repercussions of the difficult financial situation.

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hasan re-introduced  a decision to start paying the amounts due to the hospitals for exceeding the financial ceilings from 2000 to 2019 after they were approved by the parliament.

  • The Minister of Public Health Dr. Hamad Hasan, issued a memorandum requesting all hospitals and laboratories that are conducting PCR tests, to report exclusively to the ministry before going to the public.

  • The Ministry of Public Health organized a training workshop for a number of germs-specialized doctors to explain the executive and technical steps for virtual sampling of citizens who need to see a specialist doctor by video after answering the questions mentioned in the program “Corona Virus Symptom Tracker” available on the application of the Ministry of Public Health.

  • WFP (World Food Program) is currently in the process of planning emergency food assistance to protect the livelihoods of 50,000 poor and vulnerable Lebanese households affected by the economic and COVID-19 crises, in collaboration with the Lebanese Red Cross and other actors.

  • A Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) is currently being prepared by WFP to better understand the impact of the current economic crisis and COVID-19 lockdown measures on vulnerable households.

  • According to WFP’s report, it has adjusted the transfer value of the food assistance from 40,500 LBP to 50,000 LBP to align the transfer value with the average retail price of food component.

  • A team from the Ministry of Public Health was dispatched to Nabatieh were in conducted several PCR tests on the residents.

  • The Siblin governmental hospital performed 250 PCR tests in towns of Iklim.

  • The Ministry of Public Health, created and shared a digital flier via its social media, to increase people’s awareness of the necessity of wearing masks.

[1] Worldometers, 19 May

[2]  SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC: COVID-19 Humanitarian Update No. 10

[3] Naharnet, May 22, 2020, http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/272037-hasan-corona-numbers-shocking-but-no-community-spread

[4]Daily Star, May 23, 2020, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2020/May-23/506299-lebanon-registers-decline-in-covid-19-cases.ashx

[5]Arab News, May 22, 2020, https://www.arabnews.com/node/1678346/middle-east

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