MECC Coronavirus (COVID 19) Weekly Report
SYRIA: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 26
Reporting period: from 14 to 20 September 2020
Coronavirus cases: 3800 Active cases: 2682 Recovered: 946 Deaths: 172 [1]
Highlights
As of 20 Sep, the Number of people confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to have COVID-19: 3800 (172 fatalities, 946 recovered).
Of the cases announced by the MoH, 126 are reported to be healthcare workers, This includes 53 in Damascus;28 in Lattakia; 14 in Rural Damascus; 7 in Aleppo; 6 in Quneitra; 6 in Tartous; 3 each in Hama, Dar’a and Al-Hasakeh; 2 in As-Sweida; and 1 in Homs. Of particular concern, 11 healthcare workers are reported to have died, most recently on 3 September.
As of 12 September, the MoH has reported approximately 34,033 tests have been performed in laboratories in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs and Lattakia governorates. A new laboratory in Rural Damascus has also come online at Jdidet Artuz Health Center.
Since July, official numbers have risen sharply and outpaced the rate of expansion in reported numbers of tests performed. In the past four weeks alone, confirmed cases reported by the MoH have increased by around 110 percent.
Humanitarian actors have received ongoing and increased numbers of unverified reports concerning additional possible cases. In addition, in some areas existing healthcare facilities have been unable to absorb all suspected cases and/or are suspending surgeries or adapting wards to accommodate increased COVID-19 patients. Nevertheless, given the limited testing across Syria, it is therefore likely that the actual number of cases may far exceed official figures.
As of 12 September, authorities in Northeast Syria(NES) have reported 841 cases (679 in Al-Hasakeh, 81 in Aleppo, 54 in Ar-Raqqa, and 27 in Deir-ez-Zor), including 34 fatalities and 88 recoveries. Healthcare workers have also been affected, with 92 reported cases .As is the case elsewhere, limited testing may mean significantly higher numbers exist.
In NES, there are up to 22 prepared isolation centres for moderate-severe cases, with six currently operational (309 out of 975 available beds).
Further repatriation flights landed in Damascus, including from Khartoum (239), Kuwait (257),Baghdad (203)and Cairo (239); to date, approximately 4,812 nationals have been repatriated. In recent weeks, a reported 2,000 Syrian nationals residing in Lebanon have also reportedly returned through land crossings, mainly Maasna border point.
Preparedness and response
During the reporting period WHO supported workshops for media professionals aimed at raising COVID-19 awareness and combating rumors. UNICEF and WHO further commenced joint raising awareness activities in Hama, with four mobile teams targeting the most disadvantaged communities.
In the reporting period, UNHCR supported outreach volunteers reached 58,429 people on COVID-19 awareness raising and information through 18 partners, including through both physical visits/meetings to the most vulnerable individuals. UNFPA further reached 6,312 people on awareness raising through mobile teams, in clinics, and in women and girls’ safe spaces.
WHO supported a series of workshops training 155 school health doctors in Damascus, Aleppo, Tartous and Hama, focusing on school-specific guidelines and key messages. UNICEF disseminated Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material to partners to engage children living with disabilities in Aleppo.In Al-Hasakeh, Action Against Hunger (AAH) continued awareness sessions on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) best practices in the context of COVID-19.
During the reporting period, 32 focal points from camp administration/management, local community and INGOs were trained on Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE).
WHO participated in a joint assessment of Ibn AlNafis Hospital in Damascus to follow up on timely reporting of suspected cases and assess capacity for testing for COVID-19 within the hospital laboratory.
Within the reporting period, WHO delivered a further 119,502 items of PPE to be distributed in isolation centers, hospitals, and primary health care centers and laboratories. To date, WHO has delivered more than 4.4 million PPE items, including 1.5 million medical masks, 67,848 N95/FFP2 respirator masks, 1.3 million gloves, 7,500 reusable heavy-duty aprons, 83,869 gowns,662,600 head covers, 464,800 shoe covers, 4,769 goggles, 18,406 coveralls, 3,500 face shields, 308,407 alcohol hand-rubs and 75 PPE kits. In addition, over a million PPEs have been delivered by health sector partners.
UNICEF distributed 7,000 additional PPEs, and further continued operation and maintenance of WASH infrastructure (including the provision of sodium hypochlorite for water disinfection) across the country.
In light of schools reopening, WASH sector partners (UNDP, UNICEF, SARC, IMC) have supported delivery of over two million pieces of soap, sanitization of schools and emergency water trucking, in addition to procurement of 4,535 sprayers, 66,400 chlorine bottles, and distribution of IPC kits and protocols to all schools in Tartous, Lattakia and some areas in Idleb, reaching an estimated half a million students. Additionally, UNICEF supported water trucking to 13 schools in Aleppo city.
In addition to prepare for schools reopening, WHO supported three training-of-trainers (TOT) trainings for 92 school health doctors in Damascus, Tartous and Aleppo, in addition to two additional TOT workshops in Hama and Damascus for doctors from Hama, Homs, Idleb, Ar-Raqqa, Dar’a, As-Sweida and Quneitra. WHO further provided the MoE with 40 infrared thermometers, 5,000 surgical masks and 200 gowns for medical teams.
International Medical Corps (IMC) with SARC distributed 470 family hygiene kits in nine IDP shelters in Hama. Triangle Génération Humanitaire (TGH) with SARC distributed 2,617 hygiene kits in Hama and Rural Damascus. In Dar’a, TGH distributed 16,800 soap bars. In addition, SSSD continued sterilization campaigns in Rural Damascus of public spaces, and distributed hygiene kits to 470 older persons in Al-Hasakeh. Further, vocational trainings in Dar’a to make detergents for the local community were implemented, with detergents subsequently distributed.
In the reporting period, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) continued to support emergency water trucking for 6,852 individuals in Aleppo and Hama. DRC further provided water storage tanks to 545 families in Aleppo and Hama, and 1,200 family hygiene kits in Eastern Ghouta. TGH continued water trucking to 11 villages in Eastern Ghouta. In addition to 80,000 soap bars distributed to eight governorates, UNDP also continue to support rehabilitation of seven pumping stations and 26 wells and the provision of dosing pumps to ensure water quality in Al-Hasakah Governorate.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) was further distributed by UNRWA to 111 sanitation laborers as a priority. Further, UNFPA delivered 500,000 medical masks and 12,500 boxes of gloves in the reporting period, in addition to 5,000 liters of alcohol, 5,000 bottles of alcohol based hand gel, 1,000 bottles of surface sanitizers, 30 bottles of hand sanitizer, 12 bins,375 boxes of gloves, in addition to 130,600 soap bars.[2]
Lebanon: COVID-19
Humanitarian Update No. 23
Reporting period: from 16 to 21 September 2020
Coronavirus cases: 24,310 Deaths: 241 Recovered: 8,334
Highlights
During this reporting period, Lebanon registered a record of 1006 new cases per day.
During this reporting period, 733 new cases per day was the daily average.
Caretaker Health Minister Hamad Hasan urged the rest of the government to convene to reissue another lockdown. However, the Minister of Interior claimed that such an act is not feasible.
Updated Measures
The Committee for Follow-up of Preventive Measures and Procedures for Coronavirus on 9/16/2020 recommended that the Ministry of Public Health prepares a list of countries in which the PCR examination is considered reliable and approved in Lebanon, and another list of countries where this examination is not reliable and is not accredited in Lebanon.
The Ministry of Public Works and Transport approved new procedures regarding incoming foreigners, and which countries where PCR tests are considered reliable.
The Minister of Interior and Municipalities issued Decision No. 1129 of 9/17/2020 to amend the opening and closing times for industrial and commercial enterprises, as the timing of the prevention of exit and entry into the streets was kept between the first hour of midnight until six in the morning of every day, and approved the recommendations issued for the meeting of the Committee for Follow-up of Preventive Measures and Measures to Confront the Coronavirus on 9/16/2020.
Preparedness and response
The Ministry of Public Health is working to develop a rapid response plan for prisons in Lebanon, after recording infections with the Coronavirus among prisoners, in cooperation between the Ministry and its partners in the health and humanitarian field, as the plan will include steps and escalatory measures based on the evaluation of the spread of the virus in a way that allows securing the required health and hospital accompaniment.
The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hasan received in his office at the ministry, the representative of the United Nations Children's Fund in Lebanon (UNICEF) Yuki Mokuo, and discussed Lebanon's request to join the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), which allows access to vaccines, at a price lower than the market price by nearly forty percent.
[1] SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC: COVID-19 Humanitarian Update No. 18, As of 17 September2020
[2] Microsoft power MOH, 20 Sep