MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 21
Reporting period: from 10 to 16 August 2020
Coronavirus cases: 1677 Active cases: 1196 Recovered: 417 Deaths: 64 [1]
Highlights
The Health Ministry announced on Sunday 16 August, that 84 new Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have been registered in Syria, and that 9 patients have recovered while 4 others passed away.
As of 16 August, the Syrian Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed 1677 people tested positive with COVID-19, including 64 people who died and 417 who recovered.
Some humanitarian actors reported that there are likely at least 85,000 cases in Damascus alone.
As of August 10, the northwest has conducted 4,087 Coronavirus tests, The NW now has 47 cases, and 32 recoveries.
As of 15 August, 182 cases have been registered in northeast Syria, 10 Deaths and 17 recovered cases.[2]
Based on Syrian MOH, the registered confirmed cases have recently increased from 19-23 cases every other day, to 50-70 cases per day.
There is a significant lack of Personal protective equipment (PPE) among medical personnel. Front-line medical workers and key civil servants have been heavily affected, that more than 60 Doctors had died from COVID-19.
Many unofficial reports describe that hospitals are overwhelmed and they have a shortage in oxygen for those who need it and a lack in injections, pills, medication to relieve the patient from this illness.
As cases spread beyond Damascus and its countryside during the past few weeks, other governorates and communities instated their own measures. The city of Basra Al-Sham has been doing its own fundraiser to support its hospital and as of Saturday 8 August, it collected around 50 million SYP. In Aleppo, the governorate allowed the burial of the dead during the night, which is uncommon in Syria.
In northwest Syria, 8 out of 30 planned community care centres - where Covid-19 cases would be treated- are ready, 5 out of 9 hospitals are ready with 300 beds and 86 ventilators available. 5,300 testing kits have been distributed. 100 infection prevention kits have been received.
In northeast Syria, it was announced that new testing machines and testing kits reached NES during the last week- enough for 25,000 tests.[3]
Updated measures
Ministerial instructions were issued to make wearing a facemask compulsory in all public establishments and ordered those establishments to set up reception stations at the doors to deal with citizens who do not have a mask.
The Ministry of Endowments announced the opening of mosques for Friday and mass prayers in the governorates of Damascus and Rural Damascus, starting from Sunday, August 16th, taking into account the maximum health protection measures, and continuing to suspend lessons and other religious activities.[4]
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 18
Reporting period: from 12 to 17 August 2020
[Please note: Due to the severity of the bomb blast in Beirut, all attention was diverted away from the pandemic and therefore, the topic wasn't given top priority by our various sources.]
Coronavirus cases: 8,881 Deaths: 106 Recovered: 2,724
Highlights
During this reporting period, the number of corona cases reached a new record of 439 cases per day on the 16th of August.
The caretaker government’s health minister urged that the country should be closed off for 2 weeks.[5]
During this period, hospitals reported unable to tend to the growing number of COVID-19 cases.
Due to the state of emergency Beirut is in and the rise of COVID-19 cases, the MOPH is considering the army to take control of the hospitals.[6]
Updated measures
N/A
Risks
Gathering of citizens in hiking areas without committing to preventive measures
Non-compliance of restaurants with overcrowding and no shisha policies
Non-compliance of citizens with preventive measures
Social gatherings and celebrations
Preparedness and response
The ISF (Internal Security Forces) will be isolating several areas in Beirut, Baabda, Chouf, Aley, Tyre, and Bent Jbeil over the coming week.
The National Committee for the Coronavirus issued a set of recommendations which include assigning general directors in all ministries to develop a plan within 72 hours to prevent the spread of the virus in ministries.
President Michel Aoun chaired a meeting with caretaker minister of health Dr. Hamad Hassan, to discuss the current COVID-19 situation and what to do in the coming days.
[1] SANA,16 August 2020
[2] Rojava information center, north and east Syria coronavirus update, 15 August
[3] Syria in context- coronavirus update #18, as of 12 August
[4] Ministry of Health, 15 August
[5]Arab News, August 17, 2020, https://www.arabnews.com/node/1720591/middle-east c
[6]Lebanon 24, August 17, 2020, https://www.lebanon24.com/news/lebanon/736325/