MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 57
Reporting period: from 19 to 25 April 2021
Coronavirus cases: 22135 Active cases: 4685 Recovered: 15913 Deaths: 1537 [1]
Highlights
The Health Ministry announced on Monday 26 Apr, that 136 new coronavirus cases were recorded, adding that 182 patients recovered and 11 others passed away.
In a statement, the Ministry said that the total number of infections registered in Syria till 25 Apr, has reached up to 22,135, of which 15,913 have recovered and 1,537 others have passed away.[2]
22135 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported by the Syrian MoH : 5014 in Damascus; 3442 in Lattakia; 2921 in Aleppo; 2736 in Homs; 2358 in Rural Damascus; 1722 in Tartous; 1198 in Dar’a; 1150 in Sweida; 908 in Hama; 442 in Quneitra; 150 in Deir-Ez-Zor; 81 in Al-Hasakeh and 13 in Ar-Raqqa.[3]
To date, the official COVID-19 numbers all over Syria indicate around 50,000 cases of new coronavirus.[4]
The government team concerned with the procedures for dealing with the Corona epidemic decided not to extend the decision to suspend work or reduce the number of employees working in public agencies, so that the working hours of workers return to normal in official departments as of Sunday 25 Apr, while continuing to strictly apply preventive measures in terms of wearing masks and sterilization.[5]
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the return of the working hours of students of public and private universities and institutes, starting from the morning of Sunday, April 25th. On the third of this April, the ministry issued a decision that included suspending work hours in public and private universities, higher institutes and technical institutes until the 17th of this April, and then extended this period until the 24th of it.[6]
Vaccines
More than 250,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrived to Syria, from the UN-backed COVAX initiative, to inoculate the country’s frontline health workers. [7]
GOS- controlled areas
-The Health Ministry received on Thursday 22 Apr, the first batch of Covid-19 vaccines provided by the World Health Data Platform (COVAX). The batch consists of 203 thousand doses.[8]
-Syrian government received on Saturday 24 April, 150 thousand doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccines provided by China.[9]
In NWS:
-The first batch of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines was delivered on 21 April 2021 to northwestern Syria through Bab al-Hawa border crossing according to " COVAX facility"
-The current batch (53,800 doses) will be devoted to vaccinating health personnel and humanitarian organization employees, with the vaccination of elderly people over 60 years old and people with chronic diseases postponed from the age of 25 to 59 years, until the arrival of second batches of the vaccine.[10]
[1] Microsoft power MOH,10 Apr 2021
[2] SANA, 26 Apr
[3] App.powerbi.com, 25 Apr
[4] UN news, 22 Apr
[5] Pministry.gov.sy, 22 Apr
[6] pministry.gov.sy, 21 Apr
[7] UN news, 22 Apr
[8] SANA, 22 Apr
[9] SANA, 24 Apr
[10] Enab baladi, 21 Apr
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 54
Reporting period: from 20 to 26 April 2021
Coronavirus cases: 520, 939 Deaths: 7,142 Recovered: 445,163
Highlights
During this reporting period, the average number of cases dropped to 1643.
The meeting of the Committee for Follow-up of Preventive Measures and Procedures for Coronavirus recommended the holding of the Beirut International Marathon, while adhering to all preventive measures.
The Minister of Education and Higher Education announced the return to blended learning before noon and after noon, starting from April 21, 2021 for high school diploma students, and on May 5, 2021 for intermediate and kindergarten certificates.
Official exams regarding High School Diploma will be held on 26th of July 2021.
The Ministry of Information published, on its website, a new list containing 51 questions and answers about the Corona vaccine, developed in cooperation with the Ministries of Public Health and Information, the World Health Organization and UNICEF.
The Minister of Public Health and the Minister of Education and Higher Education launched the vaccination campaign for Lebanese professors, employees and students at the Pierre Gemayel University Complex.
The Minister of Public Health undertook a field tour to a number of Akkar towns, and inspected a number of sites proposed by the municipalities with the aim of establishing a government hospital with a grant from the State of Kuwait
Communication and Public Relations Department