MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 46
Reporting period: from 1 to 7 Feb 2021
Coronavirus cases: 14477 Active cases: 5391 Recovered: 8134 Deaths: 952 [1]
HIGHLIGHTS
In GoS-controlled areas of the country,(as of 7 Feb), the Syrian Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 14477 Laboratory-confirmed cases, 952 fatalities, and 8134 Recoveries.
14477 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported by the Syrian MoH : 2819 in Damascus; 2223 in Homs; 2181 in Aleppo; 1901 in Lattakia; 1437 in Rural Damascus; 1096 in Tartous; 929 in Dar’a; 835 in Sweida; 708 in Hama; 247 in Quneitra; 59 in Deir-Ez-Zor; 35 in Al-Hasakeh and 7 in Ar-Raqqa.
In January, the MoH reported a steep rise in healthcare workers affected, with 459 cases official cases reported to date.
As of 25 January, the MoH reported approximately 91,379 tests have been performed in laboratories in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Lattakia and Rural Damascus governorates, with a current average of approximately 550 tests per day.
As of 31 January, authorities in Northeast Syria (NES)have reported 8,447cases, including 395 fatalities and 1,982 recoveries. Healthcare workers have also been affected, with 733 reported cases.
Among these shocks has been the significant devaluation and volatility of the informal SYP/USD exchange rate, which has again recently and steadily deteriorated to around SYP 3,300 at the time of writing.
Due to exchange rate volatility, the regional banking crisis and other factors, including knock-on effects of COVID-19 such as supply chain disruptions, panic buying, and restrictions on trade, industry and agriculture, food prices have soared to unprecedented level.
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE
During the reporting period, WHO supported three medical mobile teams to cover health needs and raise awareness in Hama, reaching 1,328 people. In addition, WHO supported a COVID-19 awareness raising campaign in schools and communities in Lattakia and Tartous, including dissemination of IEC materials and fabric masks.
UNICEF reported reaching 513,128 people through COVID-19 Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, community engagement and various channels in the reporting period.
UNFPA reported since April 2020, 393,739 people were reached with COVID-19 related activities, while in the reporting period, 43,849 were reached, including 110 young people in Rural Damascus.
OXFAM completed its first COVID-19 Mass Media Campaign reaching 1,000,000 people across ten governorates, including radio messages, billboards, SMS messages and social media, with another round underway, and further continued a cash-for-work program in Rural Damascus for 332 women trained to disseminate COVID-19 prevention messages and demonstrations.
Gruppo di Volontariato (GVC) also conducted a home-based awareness campaign in Hama, reaching 1,400 households.
IMC provided awareness sessions in Damascus, Rural Damascus, and Dar’a for 1,500 people, utilizing nine health educators.
During the reporting period, more than 8,985 suspected COVID-19 cases were investigated properly within 24 hours. In addition, WHO supported the transport of 4,146 specimens of suspected cases to the central laboratories.
WHO supported workshops on COVID-19 surveillance, with 175 health workers out of the 400 planned trained to date on COVID-19 investigation and response for cases reported at schools. IMC further reported continuing active surveillance and suspected case finding utilizing a network of 32 physicians (pediatric, gynecology and general internal) in Damascus, Rural Damascus and Dar’a.
WHO supported three training workshops on enhancing points of entry (PoE) capacity, focused on enhancing the preparedness and response capacity of PoE specifically IPC measures and risk communication. A total of 75 people from14 governorates participated. WHO further conducted a field visit to the Aleppo International Airport on 25 January and ensured IPC measures and case management including referral system were in place.
WHO supported molecular biology, SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis training for laboratory technicians in Aleppo, Lattakia, Homs and Rural Damascus. Further training was also supported for laboratory technicians from Al-Hasakeh to support expansion of laboratory capacity in NES.
To date, WHO has delivered more than six million PPE items, In addition, over a million PPEs have been delivered by health sector partners. Also in the reporting period, WHO conducted a needs assessment at isolation hospitals in Tartous, with a focus on infection control and prevention (IPC) /personal protective equipment (PPE) measures.
During the reporting period, UNICEF procured 419,600 N95 respiratory masks, alongside an existing stock of 80,400 masks, to be distributed to support partners and public isolation facilities.
UNDP has completed rehabilitation at a hospital isolation center in Damascus and during the reporting period, completed rehabilitation at additional healthcare facilities in Lattakia and Dar’a, with work in Deir-Ez-Zor ongoing.
In the reporting period, UNICEF supported distribution of 27,000 soap to schools in Aleppo, in addition to 3,300 family and baby hygiene kits.
WHO supported training for 125health care workers in Hama, Rural Damascus, Lattakia, Quneitra and Dar’aon IPC/PPE.
WHO supported training for 125 health workers including on immediate life support and ventilator management in Damascus and Homs, in addition to 60 health workers on the newly established emergency isolation center in Damascus on case management. Further in the reporting period, WHO provided a number of isolation hospitals with lifesaving medicines, anesthesia medicines and medical equipment, including two portable ventilators.
During the reporting period, the Logistics Cluster facilitated the transportation of 3MT of Health Sector cargo by air from Damascus to Qamishli. This is in addition to an UNHAS service for air passengers between Damascus and Qamishli. During the reporting period, the UNHAS service expanded to include twice-weekly flights to Aleppo.[2]
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 43
Reporting period: from 2 to 8 Feb 2021
Coronavirus cases: 319,917 Deaths: 3,616 Recovered: 206,523
Highlights
Recent corona-related figures from the WHO.
During this reporting period, the average number of cases per day dropped to 2807.
Despite the drop in number of cases, the Lebanon’s figure remains high.
Health experts recommended that the strict lockdown be extended for another week to give hospitals a chance to recuperate as their ICUs remain almost completely full.
As the 25-day total lockdown came to an end on the 7th of February, measures will start to be eased up in a four-stage plan. However, a full day curfew will remain in place and an online permission is required for movement.
The first stage went into effect on the 8th of FEv with supermarkets, banks and some factories opening up with certain capacity guidelines.
Medics help an elderly as he arrives at Sheikh Ragheb Harb Hospital in Nabatiyeh, Jan. 18, 2021.
Transition from one stage to the other will take place every two weeks.
During the first stage, industries related to agriculture, poultry, livestock and milk production will be opened. Its employees are required to undergo a PCR test every 14 days. Banks will open their doors at 20% of their capacity.
The advisor to the Minister of Health, Ridha Mousawi, stated that about 230 thousand requests were registered on the platform launched by the Ministry in addition to 100,000 people working in the health sector.
The Technical Scientific Committee, agreed to allow the issuance of an Emergency Use Authorization EUA for the SPUTNIK V vaccine, provided that it is imported exclusively by a licensed drug warehouse.
[1] Microsoft power MOH,7 Feb 2021
[2] OCHA, SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC: COVID-19Humanitarian Update No. 23As of 1 February 2021