Amid absence of awareness | COVID-19 spreads in northwestern Syria and health organizations warn
SOHR activists have reported that the civilians are concerned with number of cases announced by the health authorities in northeastern Syria.
In the past few days, there has been an accelerated escalation in the number of infections by COVID-19 in Idlib and Aleppo and their countryside, amid poor medical capabilities and difficulties to implement the precautionary measures and social distancing due to the population increase inside the displacement camps, which forced several organizations to warn civilians to take preventive measures to prevent the crisis of spreading the virus.
Idlib’s Health Administration of “Salvation Government” issued a statement in cooperation with 21 organizations on September 6, where it announced the shortage of new beds in isolation centers and that the region is witnessing a large increase in number of infections by the new COVID-19 variant “Delta” which is considered more dangerous than COVID-19, due to its rapid spread according to the statement.
The statement appeals to civilians to take the threat seriously and stay away from crowded areas such as wedding halls and funerals and feasts.
The Administration and organizations also explained their concerns that the health situation may reach a complete paralyze in hospitals and health centers if the infections keep escalating in the same pattern, and that the Health Administration and its facilities’ would not be able to receive more infected patients.
On the other hand, “Salvation Government” ordered on September 6, the closure of all social activities in Harem area.
The order draft read: “For the safety of civilians and due to the significant increase of infections by COVID-19, we decided to close all wedding halls, sports clubs, pools, stadiums and gyms, in addition to the closure of funfairs and kindergartens”.
According to the order, the closure will continue until Sunday, September 12, 2021, with possibility to extend the closure date if needed.
During the last few days, the number of infections started to escalate from Kafer Takharim town in the northern countryside of Idlib, where the city witnessed daily increase in number of infections by COVID-19, amid residents appeal to health authorities for the necessity of facing the spreading virus in the town.
According to the last statistic for infection, recovery and death cases declared by “Idlib’s Health Administration” on September 7, the numbers of recovery, infection, death cases due to COVID-19 virus reached:
• 44,470 infection cases
• 25,761 recovery cases
• 804 death cases
A man known initially as “M.A.”, displaced from western countryside of Hama and lives in Kafer Takharim city in the northern countryside of Idlib, said in his testimony to SOHR that despite the increase of number of infections in the city and the shortage in hospitals and medical centers which cannot receive more new cases, but the social life still looks normal as if there is no crisis coming, especially with absence of awareness from the civilians about the dangers of the virus. However, thank God city municipality declared the closure of the markets on Thursdays and Sundays as it becomes very crowded.
“M.A.” added that the people’s movement in the streets is still normal with no commitment to the preservation measures and social distancing, because thousands of displaced civilians need to go out for work due to the miserable living conditions and their need for their salaries.
But actually, there are few people who try to shorten the time they have to stay out of their houses to finish their responsibilities as soon as possible and then return to their houses, while few people wear facemasks during their being outside.
“M.A.” pointed out that authorities carry huge responsibility to guarantee better living conditions for civilians to allow people to stay in their houses without worrying about their financial situation during the quarantine time.
It is worth noting that the Health Facilities in Idlib received the third batches of COVID-19 vaccines on September 3, where “Idlib’s Health Administration” received 358,800 doses of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine “Sinovac” by COVAX program of the World Health Organization (WHO).