The Coronavirus COVID-19 situation in the Middle East
Report: 1 to 15 December 2020
A woman putting on her mask as a preventive measure, Dec 6, 2020, photo credit: Egypt Independent
Egypt
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-122,086 corona confirmed cases
-105,132 recovered
-6,943 deaths
Bloomberg Magazine listed Egypt as the 2nd best country in handling corona pandemic. [1]
A picture of a Jordanian flag in Amman, photo credit: El Nashra
Jordan
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-262,477 corona confirmed cases
-222,654 recovered
-3,407 deaths
On the 6th of December, Jordan announced that it had recorded a decrease in covid-affiliated death for the first time since the dramatic increase in cases.[2]
The official in charge over the Corona file in Jordan, Wael Al Hayajina, pointed out that Corona virus vaccines are safe, effective and sound, and there are no severe side effects for them.[3]
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi live on TV, photo credit: el nashra
Iraq
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-575,972 corona confirmed cases
-509,474 recovered
-12,603 deaths
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, announced that his government is working to get the Corona virus vaccine to Iraq as soon as possible, indicating that council discussed providing the necessary funding to purchase the Corona vaccine, as soon as the World Health Organization approves its effectiveness. [4]
Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, photo credit: The Daily Star
Lebanon
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-147,613 corona confirmed cases
-103,057 recovered
-1,210 deaths
Caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab, during a special session of the United Nations General Assembly in response to coronavirus, criticized the “limited” international support directed to Lebanon in its fight against coronavirus.[5]
According to numbers published by the Health Ministry detailing the results of PCR tests of passengers arriving at Rafic Hariri airport, over half of Lebanon’s imported COVID-19 cases have originated from Turkey.[6]
Palestinian Medics track the epidemiological map of the infected in the occupied West Bank, Dec.7, 2020, photo credit: Al Mamlaka TV
Palestine
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-111,102 corona confirmed cases
-87,057 recovered
-1000 deaths
In response to the increase of COVID cases, the Palestinian government implemented a new set of measures that saw the closing of businesses and limiting citizen’s commute between areas and working hours. The new measures will remain enforced until the 17th of December.[7]
Syria
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-9,302 corona confirmed cases
-4,432 recovered
-530 deaths
During the reporting period, WHO supported three workshops to coincide with World Antibiotics Awareness Week, to promote behavioral change and addressing 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.
Given the additional challenges of the current co-circulation of influenza and COVID-19, WHO supported activation of influenza surveillance in three sentinel sites in Damascus and Aleppo, with training for 25 surveillance officers completed, in addition to six laboratory staff for testing samples for influenza and COVID-19.
WHO supported training for 235 healthcare workers on case management in Homs, Aleppo, Dar’a, Al-Hasakeh and Quneitra, including on ventilator management.[8]
Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announcing the new measures, Dec 9, 2020, photo credit: Cyprus Mail.
Cyprus
Corona cases, deaths and recovered are distributed as follows:
-15,450 corona confirmed cases
-2,057 recovered
-82 deaths
On the 8th of December, Cyprus announced the highest mortality rate and new corona cases registered (419 new cases).[9]
Malls, restaurants and churches will temporarily close in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus following an alarming spike, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced on the 9th of December.[10]
[1]Egypt Independent, December 6, 2020, https://egyptindependent.com/egypt-2-among-arab-countries-in-handling-coronavirus-crisis-cabinet/
[2] Russia Today, Dec. 12, 2020, https://arabic.rt.com/middle_east/1180497-%
[3] El Nashra, Dec 6, 2020, https://www.elnashra.com/news/show/1467333
[4] Rudaw, Dec. 6, 2020, https://www.rudaw.net/arabic/middleeast/iraq/061220206
[5] The Daily Star, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2020/Dec-04/515028-diab-limited-support-for-covid-19-response.ashx
[6] The Daily Star, Dec 2, 2020, https://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2020/Dec-02/514925-turkey-accounts-for-half-of-lebanons-imported-covid-19-cases.ashx
[7] Almamlaka TV, Dec. 7, 2020, https://www.almamlakatv.com/news/52286
[8] OCHA, SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC: COVID-19 Humanitarian Update No. 21, As of 30 Nov 2020
[9] Xinhua Net, Dec, 8, 2020, http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-12/09/c_139574272.htm
[10] Cyprus Mail, Dec 9, 2020, https://cyprus-mail.com/2020/12/09/coronavirus-cabinet-approves-tougher-restrictions/