MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 61
Reporting period: from 17 to 23 May 2021
Coronavirus cases: 24117 Active cases: 834 Recovered: 21549 Deaths: 1734 [1]
Highlights
Health Ministry announced on Sunday that 65 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Syria, adding that 15 patients have recovered while 5 others passed away.
The Ministry said in a statement that the total number of coronavirus cases recorded in Syria has reached up to 24,117 till now, of which 21,549 have recovered and 1734 have passed away. [2]
24117 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported by the Syrian MoH : 5352 in Damascus; 3752 in Lattakia; 3407 in Aleppo; 2904 in Homs; 2502 in Rural Damascus; 1816 in Tartous; 1278 in Dar’a; 1258 in Sweida; 1044 in Hama; 474 in Quneitra; 212 in Deir-Ez-Zor; 101 in Al-Hasakeh and 17 in Ar-Raqqa. [3]
During its meeting on Saturday 22 May, the Government team concerned with responding to Coronavirus epidemic discussed the following issues:
-The preventive measures and procedure that must be taken to ensure the safety of citizens during the presidential elections, such as preparing votting centers, providing sterilizers and masks in them, achieving spatial distancing, and ensuring the conditions of public hygiene.
-The coordination of efforts between the relevant ministries to ensure the availability of all health and preventive requirements for electoral centers and strictly apply precautionary measures to address the Corona epidemic and achieve public safety conditions.
-The mechanism for the evacuation of Syrian citizens stranded in some countries and the measures that must be taken to provide quarantine places and the requirements for residency in them and to ensure that they are not infected with the Coronavirus, and he asked the Ministries of Health and Transport to coordinate with the Syrian embassies to complete the procedures in this regard.[4]
In Northwest Syria, 43 new cases of Coronavirus were recorded as of 22 May, bringing the total number to 22,641 positive cases, 665 fatalities and 20479 Recoveries.[5]
In Northeast Syria, the total number of coronavirus cases recorded in Syria has reached 17441 as of 23 May, of which 1766 have recovered and 717 have passed away.[6]
[1] Microsoft power MOH, 23 May 2021
[3] The ministry of Health, 23 May
[4] Ministry Of Health, 22 May
Covid-19 Monthly Report - Syria
From 22 April to 21 May 2021
Coronavirus cases: 23939 Active cases: 730 Recovered: 21489 Deaths: 1720 [1]
Highlights
Health Ministry announced on Friday 21 May, that 55 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Syria, adding that 29 coronavirus patients recovered, and 6 others passed away.
The Ministry said, in a statement, that the total number of coronavirus cases recorded in Syria has reached 23,939 till now, of which 21,489 have recovered and 1, 720 have passed away. [2]
23738 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported by the Syrian MoH : 5326 in Damascus; 3729 in Lattakia; 3353 in Aleppo; 2890 in Homs; 2490 in Rural Damascus; 1816 in Tartous; 1267 in Dar’a; 1250 in Sweida; 1031 in Hama; 469 in Quneitra; 208 in Deir-Ez-Zor; 94 in Al-Hasakeh and 16 in Ar-Raqqa. [3]
The Ministry of Health has launched an online platform to register for the Coronavirus vaccination, where all the required instructions and details are located inside the platform http://covid19.moh.gov.sy/.
A fourth UAE aircraft loaded with Covid-19 vaccines arrived in Syria's capital Damascus on Tuesday 4 May. The shipment was sent by the Emirates Red Crescent, in co-ordination with the Syrian Red Crescent Association, to assist the country's health sector in curbing the pandemic, reported state news agency Wam.[4]
The vaccination process for medical and health personnel has begun, as the priority for vaccination is for doctors, nurses, technicians and hospital workers. In the second priority are the elderly and persons with chronic disease who, after registering through the platform, will receive a message via mobile phone about the place and time of receiving the vaccine.
The Ministry of Health announced that it has 71 hospitals and 96 dispensaries to administer the vaccine distributed in all governorates, in addition to 416 mobile teams in areas where there is no health center. [5]
Russian and Syria Presidents discussed Russian vaccine supplies to Syria and cooperation against COVID-19 during a phone call on Monday 26 April, the Kremlin said.[6]
Aid agencies and the UN have warned that a “rapid and accelerating” wave of coronavirus and shortages of equipment such as tests and oxygen is putting millions of people across conflict-ravaged Syria at risk from the virus.[7]
According to the head of the UN’s humanitarian affairs office, the number of new cases in parts of Syria under Syrian's government doubled between February and March, and intensive care units in the capital, Damascus, are also now full.
In the north-east of the country, the only Covid-19 laboratory is likely to run out of testing kits in the next seven days, while new cases are surging. More than 5,300 cases have been confirmed in the area in April alone, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC) – more than half of the total for the whole of 2020. Currently, more than 47% of tests are coming back positive.
-Currently, 83% of patients who receive invasive ventilation in the region are not surviving and we fear that things will only get worse,” said the IRC’s policy and advocacy director for the region. “The health system is struggling to cope, and the situation is deteriorating extremely rapidly.”
-Seven UN and NGO-funded treatment facilities have been forced to close due to a lack of funding: several of those that remain are reaching capacity, and oxygen supplies are beginning to run out.
In NWS, for now, demand for vaccines far outstrips supply: in Idlib and the surrounding area alone, 3 million residents live in dire humanitarian conditions, and social distancing and other measures to contain the disease are hard to implement.[8]
[1] Microsoft power MOH, 20 May 2021
[3] The ministry of Health, 16 May
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 57
Reporting period: from 18 to 24 May 2021
Coronavirus cases: 520, 939 Deaths: 7,142 Recovered: 445,163
Highlights
Hasan and Bou Saab Signed an Agreement to Secure Pfizer Vaccines for the Lebanese Canadian Hospita, photo credit: MOPH.l
During this reporting period, the average number of cases dropped to 485 per day.
The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hasan announced the launch of a plan to expand the vaccination network vertically and horizontally to include some age, occupational and sick groups, public institutions and departments and some productive. He pointed to caution in community activities and the common protection required for expatriates
50,767 written minutes have been written against violators of the decisions of general mobilization since 01/14/2021.
Middle East Airlines issued a statement, in compliance with the decision issued by the Civil Aviation Authority in the United Arab Emirates, whereby all passengers traveling from Lebanon to Dubai are required to have a negative PCR test result valid for 72 hours from the time the sample was taken.
The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hassan, signed an agreement with the Lebanese Canadian Hospital, represented by representative Elias Bou Saab, to secure twenty thousand units of the Fayez vaccine through the Ministry of Public Health.
The Minister of Public Health held a meeting, during which he stressed the preparation of a health emergency plan whose priorities are to complete the equipping of government hospitals with the necessary apparatus and to develop modern hospital and health policies.
Communication and Public Relations Department