nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
[ September 2020, Overall Syria ] UNRWA requires US$ 212.8 million to sustain the delivery of humanitarian assistance, basic services and protection interventions to the 438,000 Palestine refugees estimated to remain in Syria. As of 30 September 2020, a total of US$ 51.5 million were pledged or received from donors and partners, representing 24.2 per cent of total requirements.
On September 1, WHO responded, indicating that it is “providing test kits, protective gear, and supplies needed to treat COVID 19 patients,' and that in July 2020, they recommended that the Syrian government increase testing and expand laboratory networks; strengthen infection prevention, including increasing availability of PPE to health workers; reinforce hospital capacity and community awareness
The Ministry of Health said that in the space of three months it put 2,388 people in quarantine.
Syrian government fails to act decisively, WHO, and other organizations with a health mandate, should make public their insistence on expanding testing capacities and transparent and accurate reporting on Covid 19 infections and related deaths, and clarify the specific reasons for the failure to report numbers accurately, as well as the challenges with distributing adequate amounts of PPE to health workers in a nondiscriminatory manner, including the imposition of government restrictions or their refusal to adopt WHO recommendations.
The number of Syrians who tested positive for the Coronavirus went up from 42 last week to 43 yesterday. Of those, 19 people recovered, up from six a week earlier, while the number of deaths was unchanged at three.
Given the long history of aid diversion, including of medical supplies, by the government, WHO should insist on delivery through independent organizations. Donors should actively press to UN and international groups operating in Damascus to collectively bargain with the Syrian government to allow for decentralized testing and equitable distribution of protective equipment.
Then, they fill out the forms and take swabs, each according to his role which is registered on a paper and when they finish the required measures other people are allowed to enter.
[ 17th September , Overall Syria ]  During the reporting period, new RCCE supported radio spots highlighting key preventive measures commenced broadcast on ten public and private stations. While cumulative RCCE efforts to date have reached an estimated 15 million people, survey information and anecdotal evidence suggests the risk perception across Syria is very low and a considerable lack of adherence to individual preventive measures has been observed in some communities
Health Ministry announced on Sunday that 67 new Coronavirus  ( COVID 19 )  cases have been registered in Syria, and that 15 persons infected with the virus have recovered while 4 others have passed away.
This brings the total number of infections with the virus in the country to 3171, the number of recoveries to 730 and the toll of deaths to 134.
On site training for 24 CPHL laboratory technicians has also been completed. In the reporting period, WHO supported refresher training for CPHL laboratory technicians and four new technicians to support expansion of laboratory capacity to include Rural Damascus.
[ 17th September , Overall Syria ]  As detailed in previous reports, development, printing and distribution of information, education and communication  ( IEC )  materials in addition to awareness raising on social media, WhatsApp, radio and television channels, and direct community engagement/person to person, including during distributions is ongoing
18 collective shelters reported that IDPs cook in a designated space for cooking, but that the facilities are not properly equipped as a kitchen. 5 collective shelters use a kitchen which is not fully equipped; while 4 collective shelters reported that they do not have a space for cooking; 3 collective shelters have a fully equipped kitchen that is managed by the focal point of the collective shelter; and 2 collective shelters use an outdoor kitchen. In total, 3,560 IDPs live in collective shelters without a kitchen space.
WHO continues to deliver case management trainings  ( resuscitation and ventilation management ) . In the reporting period, WHO supported specialist training for 175 healthcare workers from five governorates, targeting doctors, nurses and anesthesia technicians working in ICU and emergency departments.
[ 3rd Feb 2021,Overall Syria ]  Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that 60 new coronavirus cases were registered in Syria , and 82 patients infected with the virus have recovered while 4 others have passed away. In a statement to SANA, the Ministry indicated that the total number of Coronavirus cases in the country climbed to 14202, out of which 7807 cases recovered and 933 passed away.
Only 28 of the collective shelters have designated bathing facilities or showers. This situation further highlights how unsuitable many of the collective shelters are for living.
IDP movements over the month of May in north west Syria were quite similar to those of the previous month. In total, 32,215 displacements were recorded  ( small decrease compared to last month ) , and the highest percentage of IDPs continued to be displaced from Dana to its neighbouring sub district, Atareb. The deterioration of the economic situation remained the primary reason for leaving place of displacement, while access to livelihoods remained the primary reason for displacement into place of arrival.
The highest IDP priority needs are livelihoods, access to basic services and food. The provision of these needs will have likely been impacted by COVID 19 mitigation measures, which has disrupted regular employment patterns, forced service closures, and negatively impacted the availability and pricing of food.
There are 11,210 IDPs living in the 59 collective shelters which do not have bathing or shower facilities. In these collective shelters, 57 shelters where 10,940 IDPs live shower and bathe within their living units.
( September23, NWS )  Prices of food, medicine, and fuel have reached unprecedented levels, with the Syrian Pound  ( SYP )  depreciating by at least 325 percent over the past one year. The national average reference food basket price has recorded a 261 percent increase year on year as of July 2020 with the highest spike recorded in Idlib at 464 percent.
[ 17th September , Overall Syria ] The current key priorities in Syria is : Protecting health care workers by training and providing additional PPE;   Ensuring proper case management, isolation and contact tracing; and   Raising awareness and risk communication.
A significant 17 percent of returns were reported in Atareb community in Atareb sub district, all of whom returned from Azaz sub district in Aleppo, primarily due to an improved security situation. Shelter availability in the community is a problem, with 1,350 returnees reportedly squatting in their current residence.
At al Jalaa Sport Hall in al Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus, Mua'az Qadir, from Readiness Department at the Health Ministry, said that the people enter into a special section within the Sports City park which is equipped to accommodate more than 40 people, with all health measures being taken in terms of commitment to wearing masks and sitting in a manner that ensures social distancing.
In terms of the cleanliness of the bathing facilities, 60 collective shelters had very poor conditions, while 25 key informants at 25 collective shelters reported that the conditions were poor.
[ 17th September , Overall Syria ] In particular, WHO, acting on the eight pillars of the global WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, continues engaging the MoH and partners to enhance technical capacity and awareness, including on rational use of PPEs, case management, infection prevention and control, environmental disinfection, and risk communication; and is focused on procuring and enhancing medical supplies including in laboratory testing and PPE for case management and healthcare facilities.
[ 17th September , Overall Syria ] OCHA Syria also continues to engage the Inter Sector Coordination team in Damascus to coordinate the response within Syria
( September23, NWS )  With the economic crisis, mass displacement and high unemployment, COVID 19 is also rolling back development and putting unbearable pressure on host communities
The current key priorities in Syria are:   Enhancing surveillance capacity including active surveillance, with a critical need to expand national and subnational laboratory capacity to test for timely detection;   Protecting health care workers by training and providing additional PPE;   Ensuring proper case management, isolation and contact tracing; and   Raising awareness and risk communication.
( September23, NWS )  As a result of COVID 19, access to markets is being reduced, driving up food prices and hitting people's incomes. 40 cases have been reported in over crowded areas of NWS, with the risk of a rapid further spread
As the response expands, there is a need to both increase and decentralize testing, in order to accommodate more timely diagnosis of more samples from a greater range of geographical locations including NES
With the support of WHO, MoH is conducting active surveillance utilizing 1,932 surveillance officers across 14 governorates, who are in regular contact with and actively visit private and public health facilities to monitor admissions.
One partner continues to operate a mental health and psychosocial support  ( MHPSS )  COVID 19 helpline to provide psychosocial support  ( PSS )  counselling services for prospective COVID 19 patients and their families, frontline health workers, and other members of the community.
WHO, acting on the eight pillars of the global WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, continues engaging the Syrian MoH and health partners to enhance technical capacity and awareness, including on rational use of PPE, case management, infection prevention and control, environmental disinfection, and risk communication; and is focused on procuring and enhancing integral medical supplies including in laboratory testing and PPE, for case management and healthcare facilities
Across NES and NWS, countermeasures taken to mitigate the potential spread of COVID 19 coupled with the ongoing decline in the Syrian Pound, along with the already high levels of needs   including 1.7 million people in NES and 2.8 million people in NWS   continue to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian situation on the ground
In terms of locations of damages, 27 collective shelters have damages in Salqin sub district followed by 11 collective shelters reporting damages in Dana subdistrict. In all, 7,643 IDPs are living in collective shelters that have sustained various forms of damages.
As the response expands, there is a greater need to enhance the surveillance system and increase national laboratory capacity at subnational level, in order to accommodate more timely diagnosis of more samples from a greater range of geographical locations, including north east Syria  ( NES ) .
g. 52 collective shelters reported that there was insufficient insulation due to the cold and damp conditions. 48 collective shelters reported that it leaks when it rains. Damp and cold sleeping conditions undermine the health of residents by increasing the risk of respiratory disease
In this regard, life saving food assistance to 3.5 million people has continued with adjusted distribution modalities, as has agricultural and livelihoods programs. UNDP and partners have further focused on support for micro, small and medium enterprises for workers temporarily out of employment with social safety net activities, in addition to distribution of agricultural inputs and livestock to sustain food security in rural areas.
WFP's national average reference food basket in April was reported at SYP 50,962 – the highest ever recorded price for Syria; a 111 per cent increase over 12 months. This increase, combined with diminished employment opportunities due to COVID 19 related factors, is likely to exacerbate overall food insecurity further
This could exacerbate social unrest, especially in southern governorates. Internal movement restrictions and increasing transportation costs could further add to a continued increase in food prices. Within the agriculture sector, the most affected are small livestock herders, due to an increase in feed prices, market closures, movement restrictions and increasing transportation costs.
Further, Shelter and NFI partners are continuing to conduct their activities while applying the precautionary measures of masks, physical distancing and rotating staff. Movement restrictions have been implemented in NES as of 31 July which could slow the pace of work.
[ 22nd September 2020, Overall Syria ]  Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that 44 new coronavirus cases were registered in Syria and that 20 infections have recovered while 3 ones have passed away.
A community lockdown was still in place in one sub district and public spaces were still closed in fifteen sub districts. Awareness campaigns were in place in 30 sub districts  ( out of 42 ) , while temperature checks were in place in 26 sub districts and distribution of soap/disinfectant/masks were available in 7 sub districts
This brings the total number of Coronavirus in the country to 2008 cases, toll of recoveries to 460 and the deaths to 82.
In total, 214 new cases have been announced since the last report. The MoH has also announced 35 fatalities – an increase of 19 since the last report – and 184 recoveries. Of the cases, 104 cases were announced as imported and 203 as a secondary case  ( exposure/contact with a known case ) . According to available MoH data, nearly 28 per cent of cases presented as severe/critical requiring hospitalization, including, in some cases, oxygenation or mechanical ventilation in ICU units.
The Humanitarian Needs Assessment Programme's  ( HNAP )  18 May 2020 COVID 19 Rapid Assessment showed that all total curfews and all partial curfews except for one had ended in areas controlled by nonstate and Turkish backed armed forces  ( NSAG & TBAF ) .
In addition, of particular concern is that according to the MoH, 44 healthcare workers  ( eight per cent of reported cases )  have tested positive for COVID 19, an increase of 26 since the last report. This includes 34 in Damascus, six in Rural Damascus, two in Aleppo, and one each in Quneitra and As Sweida. This highlights the particular risks faced by healthcare workers; and underscores – given Syria's fragile healthcare system with already insufficient numbers of qualified healthcare personnel – the potential for its overstretched healthcare capacity to be further compromised.
Recommendation: Target rural people with messaging about the importance of washing hands. Explore reasons why rural people's hand washing practice is decreasing, and ensure they have access to means for hand washing.
Regional outreach is also ongoing, including with several UN agencies carrying out targeted regional social media and WhatsApp campaigns. An example in the reporting period was when child protection partners reported carrying out awareness campaigns and distributing IEC materials in Al Hol Camp, Ar Raqqa and Deir Ez Zor, to more than 3,000 parents and children, including social distancing. UNICEF also launched entertainment activities, including mobile theatre with youth volunteers in Al Hasakeh, Quneitra and Rural Damascus, and is supporting safety vans in various governorates to deliver awareness messages to some 157,000 children and their families.
Some 15% of respondents said that their community is not adopting any measures at all; some putting this down to no nearby confirmed cases. For others, there was a sense that the virus is either not real, or not as dangerous as reported. This is particularly worrying in Syrian Democratic Forces  ( SDF )  areas where 80% of the population are at high COVID 19 risk, compared to 44% and 19% in Government of Syria and Non State Armed Group and Turkish backed armed forces controlled areas, respectively
[ 26 Sept, over all Syria ]  Last year's wheat crop was half as big as the pre war average. Syrians have long parked their money in Lebanese banks, but last year those banks limited withdrawals, leaving everyone short of hard currency.
[ 26 Sept, over all Syria ]  The price of food in Syria has risen so high that women boil weeds to eat.
The relationship between mitigation measures and their economic impacts are clear in Syria. Eighty one percent of community focal points reported that their community's ability to meet basic needs had worsened. People fear losing their jobs and not being able to earn an income  ( 46% ) , prices becoming too high for them to purchase items to meet their basic needs  ( 21% ) , and/or being forced to close their shop or business  ( 18% ) .
[ 26 Sept, over all Syria ]  The war had already hollowed out the economy. Syria now produces 60,000 barrels of oil a day, a sixth of its pre war output.
The Humanitarian Country Team  ( HCT )  in Syria is focused on reinforcing comprehensive, multi sectoral preparedness and mitigation measures for COVID 19. At the same time, the HCT is also focused on protecting, assisting and advocating for the most vulnerable, including internally displaced persons  ( IDPs ) , refugees and host communities particularly vulnerable to the pandemic, including by, to the extent possible, working to continue principled programme delivery and provision of life saving assistance across the country.
To address this, people in the NES region were exempt from paying water and electricity fees for two months, and authorities announced monthly food distributions for low income families throughout the lockdown period. In NWS, similar measures were introduced, including significant scale up of health services and the provision of personal protective equipment
Women, elderly people, youth, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous populations, minorities, mobile and displaced populations including refugees, internally displaced persons  ( IDPs )  and poorlabour migrants  ( international and internal )  will likely face even greater challenges as existing formal and informal safety nets and social structures will be negatively impacted by the COVID 19 crisis.
Humanitarian agencies must consider how communities can continue accessing aid/services while also adhering to key precautionary measures. Information on how aid is accessible in line with the necessary precautionary measures should be communicated alongside the suggested information campaigns mentioned above.
[ 22nd Sept 5th Oct 2020, Syria ]  Fishkhabour was open between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for incoming and outgoing travelers – but unlike the week of the previous round when it was open for one day only, it was open for three days in the week of data collection in this round  ( Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday ) .
When humanitarian agencies disseminate information on COVID 19, they should clearly emphasise that the recommendations come directly from healthcare professionals  ( where applicable ) , thus highlighting that this information has been verified by the source communities trust the most.
In light of COVID 19, UNFPA and partners are providing personal protective equipment to protect health workers, distributing dignity kits that contain essential hygiene and sanitary supplies, and systemizing the use of telemedicine to ensure continued access to reproductive health services.
Official figures show that cases have increased twenty fold in the past three months from 29 cases in May to 608 cases to date.
Due to export earnings from primary commodities and tourism running dry, and ensuing currency depreciation, countries risk not having sufficient means to pay for vital imports or respond to the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic through measures such as scaling up social protection programmes.
International aid agency, World Vision, today warned that thousands are at considerable risk as COVID  19 cases increase in Syria; a country already demolished by almost ten years of war.
[ 22nd Sept 5th Oct 2020, Syria ]  Syrian travelers entering KRI via Fishkhabour are required to quarantine in a hotel for 48 hours – except those with dual nationality who are in transit, for whom there is no quarantine requirement
the figures there officially stand at 30, however, according to health experts on the ground  [ 2 ]  this could rapidly increase. Doctors and nurses are also reported to be infected with COVID 19.
Communities continue to receive most of their information about the virus from the news media  ( 29% ) , local government  ( 18% ) , and social media  ( 18% ) . While many communities get information via social media across all areas of control, this does not mean that it is a trusted source of information on the virus: only 6% of the focal points in NSAG/TBAF areas believe that their communities trust information spread via social media. A more nuanced enquiry is required to understand the sources of the information people access through social media channels.
World Vision is extremely concerned about cases increasing in Northwest Syria where thousands of people forced to flee their homes because of conflict are crammed in barely livable conditions inside displacement camps.
In Syria, projected cases and deaths will be particularly severe among those who have fled conflict and are now living in camps. Much of the infrastructure has been destroyed and health services are skeletal.
Lack of coordination between the governorates and local councils in northeast Syria has also hindered the work of public health officials. Specifically, the Rapid Response Teams that are tasked with collecting COVID 19 samples and conducting contact tracing across northeast Syria have been prevented from accessing certain areas of the AA governed territory.
Although the number of suspected and confirmed cases of COVID 19 cases remains low, the risk of that changing is considered high based on the current epidemiological situation in the region/Syria, including the high likelihood of new ‘imported' clusters in Syria following recent repatriations; the high likelihood that community transmission is occurring in NES and; the extent of current prevention and containments measures applied in NES, specifically the lack of adherence to restrictions and social distancing measures as well as a recent upsurge in arrivals from other areas of Syria.
In addition to governance issues, public health officials who spoke to Syria Direct pointed to a fundamental lack of medical capacity as undermining the response to the COVID 19 crisis.
Even before the pandemic, the economic situation of Syrian refugee women was already extremely precarious, with jobs hard to come by and women making up almost 62 per cent of those working in the informal sector, such as daily and agriculture workers.
It is estimated that more than half a million women inside Syria and in host communities throughout the region are pregnant. In some places, pregnant women are refraining from visiting health facilities due to movement restrictions or fears about exposure to the virus. This is putting the lives of women and newborns at risk.
[ 22nd Sept 5th Oct 2020, Syria ]  In the last round, travelers were not permitted to leave, however in the week of this round Syrians were permitted to leave.
Recommendation: Cohorts that could benefit from targeted messaging about breastmilk include urban women. Few respondents  ( round 1: 5%; round 2: 7% )  think that COVID 19 can be transmitted through breastmilk.
[ 22nd Sept 5th Oct 2020, Syria ]  Consistent with the previous round, only Syrians and are permitted to enter, however they must be travelling for urgent reasons such as to receive medical treatment, for special occasions such as weddings or funerals, or they must be en route to another country  ( i.e. in transit ) .
[ 26 Sept, over all Syria ]  Covid 19 is exacerbating the economic pain. Some 60% of Syrian businesses have temporarily or permanently closed because of the pandemic, says theUN.
COVID 19 Response: Shelter sector continues to map activities to understand the impact on shelter programming, accordingly updating the monthly SNFI COVID 19 impact report, and feed into the humanitarian impact of COVID 19 report. o The sector in cooperation updated the guidance of precautionary measures while conducting various shelter responses. o 21 collective shelters were rehabilitated, and 904 shelter kits were distributed to reduce overcrowding in IDPs accommodation areas
Some communities reportedly relied on negative strategies to cope with a lack of or substantially decreased household income. In over half of communities, KIs responded that children were sent to work or beg in order to meet basic needs  ( 64% for residents and 79% for IDPs ) . KIs reported that some households responded to a lack of sufficient water by reducing routine hygiene practices, like bathing and doing laundry.
Recommendation: Knowledge that COVID 19 can be transmitted from contact with an infected object does not substantially differ among populations, and knowledge about this is increasing. The transmission route of infected surfaces was still identified by less than 60% of respondents, so messaging on this should continue to all populations.
The regime has tried to hide the scale of the outbreak. Its goons order doctors to blame pneumonia, not covid 19, for deaths. Officially fewer than 200 Syrians have died from the disease. But the number is surely much higher.
The high infection rate becomes an even greater problem as doctors in the northeast often work in more than one medical facility at once, sometimes even up to four at a time. If infected, these doctors could be transmitting COVID 19 to multiple healthcare facilities and spreading the disease to different clusters of healthcare workers.
According to Observatory statistics, the number of confirmed cases, since July 9 to date, rose to 75, including two doctors were residing in Turkey.
Localized airstrikes and clashes occurred in southern Idleb, despite an overall adherence to the 5 March ceasefire. In the second week of June, several airstrikes impacted the Idleb de escalation zone, resulting in two civilian fatalities.Local sources reported that families were beginning to move out of the area in response to these incidents. Isolated clashes were also reported in Idleb.
Community members say they primarily receive information on how to protect themselves from the virus from news media  ( 25% ) , local administration  ( 22% ) , social media  ( 17% )  and national government  ( 16% ) .
Breakdown of the cases is as follows: 33 cases, including medical staff in HTS held areas in Idlib, parts of Aleppo, Hama and Latakia, and 40 cases in the areas controlled by Turkish backed factions, north of Aleppo.While recovery cases in north western Syria have risen to 55
Ongoing depreciation of the Syrian Pound, along with pre existing macroeconomic vulnerabilities aggravated by the strong ties with the Lebanese economy, and the potential for re escalation of conflict in the northern areas, could result in more households descending into food insecurity or resorting to negative coping strategies. This could exacerbate social unrest, especially in southern governorates. Internal movement restrictions and increasing transportation costs could further add to a continued increase in food prices
Recommendation: Targeted messaging about the most common myths, drinking boiled herbs and exposing oneself to the sun, could benefit rural populations. The proportion of respondents who reported hearing any myths about COVID 19 was no greater than 53% for any myth.
In the Syrian Arab Republic, where according to WFP VAM a further 2 million people may become food insecure in 2020 in addition to the current total of 9.3 million, COVID 19 related measures will continue to damage economic activity, resulting in a lack of income opportunities and increased unemployment.
Recommendation: Current messaging strategies for the elderly should be maintained to increase knowledge even more in this vulnerable group. Knowledge of transmission routes and atrisk groups to COVID 19 was greater than 75% by round 2, and increasing substantially among older populations.
As a result of infections among healthcare workers, eight NGO run medical facilities were closed and another 15 were operating at partial capacity, according to the August 27 NES COVID Forum report.
Health authorities have recorded four new coronavirus cases, two cases in the town of Souran, one case in Al Bab town in Aleppo countryside and the last case in Al Foua town in Idlib countryside.
• Recommendation: Social media is widely used as a source of information, but is less trusted than health workers. As resources permit, increasing contact of populations with health workers may help to increase trust around COVID 19 messaging.
Recommendation: Young, rural men could be targeted with messaging about asymptomatic carriers of COVID 19.
However, the deficit in human capacity is perhaps just as important for the area's COVID 19 response. There are not enough doctors for the area, and in addition, many of these doctors and health professionals do not have the proper training in either diagnostic practices or precautionary health measures.
In a statement to SANA, the Ministry indicated that the infections' toll in the country till now reached to 2365 cases of which 533 have recovered while 95 ones have passed away
[ November 2020, Ar Raqqa, Deir ez Zor, and Menbij ]  Reported modalities by which information was received; Friends/family 60%, Internet 55% Television 48% and Community leaders 48%.
[ 14th January 2021 ]  On Tuesday, the Syrian government agreed on the distribution mechanism of the vaccine, but details have not yet surfaced. Ahead of the vaccination rollout, humanitarian actors warn of the risk of discriminatory practices in the distribution of the vaccine if Damascus is given free rein.
Damascus, SANA Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that 72 new coronavirus cases were registered in Syria and that 14 infections have recovered and 3 ones have passed away.
Strong partnerships are needed between national institutions, International Financial Institutions, United Nations agencies, non governmental organizations  ( NGOs ) , farmers' groups and all other relevant stakeholders, including coordination structures, such as the Global Network Against Food Crises, the Global Nutrition Cluster and the Global Food Security Cluster
This brings the total number of Coronavirus cases in the country to 2217 cases, while recoveries reached 505, and the death toll reached 89
Damascus, SANA – The Health Ministry announced on Sunday that 74 new Coronavirus  ( COVID 19 )  cases have been registered in Syria, and that 15 persons infected with the virus have recovered while 4 others have passed away.
[ 14th January 2021, Syria ]  In October 2020,Assad affirmed that the regime “would negotiate the import of the coronavirus vaccine with Russian authorities as soon as it becomes available.' However, COVAX has not invested in the Sputnik vaccine. To receive it, Syria would have to purchase it from Russia directly, an unlikely proposition in light of Syria's current dire financial state   unless Russia donates doses in order to promote its vaccine.
[ 14th January 2021, Syria ]  The Ministry of Health  ( MoH )  applied to get the vaccine through the COVAX program  ( COVID 19 Vaccines Global Access Facility )  last December. As a low income country, Syria is eligible to receive the vaccine for free through this initiative.
Damascus, SANA – The Health Ministry announced on Friday that 59 new Coronavirus  ( COVID 19 )  cases have been registered in Syria, and that 15 persons infected with the virus have recovered, while 3 others passed away.
This brings the total number of Coronavirus cases registered in Syria to 2563, of which 584 recovered while 103cases passed away.
Syrian Airline plane arrived on Friday afternoon transporting 257 Syrian citizens coming from Kuwait in the framework of the government's efforts for evacuating the Syrian citizens stranded abroad , according to a statement by Transport Ministry.
On August 27th, a Syrian airline plane carrying 250 Syrian citizens arrived in Damascus international Airport from Egypt in the framework of the governmental efforts to repatriate Syrians living abroad.
A large number of the current COVID 19 cases in the northeast are among healthcare professionals themselves. This is in part due to improper use of Personal Protective Equipment  ( PPE )  and faulty triage procedures for patients who are expressing symptoms similar to those of COVID 19, according to the aid worker.
Earlier, Interior Ministry called on Syrian citizens who are wishing to repatriate to communicate with Syrian embassies in Cairo, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, Khartoum, Manama, Moscow, Algeria, and Baghdad to register applications expressing their desire to return to Syria, so that the special government team can prepare a program for Syrian Airlines flights as part of the government's efforts plan to return Syrian citizens stranded abroad.
On 30 June, the fourth Brussels Pledging Conference resulted in total pledges of $7.7 billion, of which $5.5 billion was pledged for 2020. These pledges covered funding for humanitarian, resilience and development activities in Syria and across the region.
On May 4th, the Syrian Airlines started to run flights to repatriate Syrian citizens who are willing to return to Syria from different countries of the world according to lists registered through the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry at the embassies and the diplomatic missions.
In GoS controlled areas, the daily curfew and the travel ban between and within governorates were lifted from 26 May. Markets are now allowed to open from 8am to 7pm, provide precautionary COVID 19 measures are adopted. Restaurants, gyms, swimming pools, theatres, cafes and public parks, however, remain closed. Mosques can open, including for group prayers, provided social distancing is observed. Public and private transportation services have also resumed. Universities and institutions are scheduled to reopen on 31 May, with preparations ongoing for basic education and high school exams in June. More humanitarian programmes, including essential healthcare, have been able to resume in recent weeks following the lifting of some precautionary measures, however, restrictions remain in place at most other crossing points inside Syria, particularly in the north.
In statement to SANA, the ministry indicated that the infections' toll registered in Syria have reached to 1764 so far, of which 425 cases have recovered while 68 ones have passed away
Within the month of June COVID 19 mitigation measures eased, while checkpoint and border crossings steadily reopened. Concurrently, there was also a significant increase in the number of displaced persons within SDF controlled areas  from 96 in April, 250 in May and to a significant 2,841 persons displaced in June. Reports of active conflict remain relatively low, instead IDPs are increasingly motivated to seek economic opportunity. To achieve this, all displaced persons have engaged in at least two displacements and a quarter of new arrivals stated they were still in transit and planning to displace again.
OCHA Syria also continues to engage the Inter Sector Coordination team in Damascus to coordinate the response within Syria. WHO is holding daily meetings in Damascus and weekly Health sector coordination meetings and operational calls to monitor implementation of the COVID 19 Preparedness and Response plan. Weekly operational calls on NES are also ongoing, including on enhancing and strengthening preparedness and response efforts at points of entry and contingency planning for camps
Still, a lack of testing might be beside the point in northeast Syria as contact tracing is proving to be difficult, due to the “sheer number of contacts' and low number of contact tracing teams, according to the NES COVID Forum update.
[ 16th November 2020, Overall Syria ]  Health Ministry announced on Monday that 75 new Coronavirus cases were registered in Syria, and 45 patients have recovered while 5 others have passed away.
[ 14th January 2021, Syria ]  The war and economic situation hamper Syria's ability to ensure the cold chain needed to preserve the vaccine. “The necessary equipment and regular electricity supply are not always reliable across all locations in Syria, which is essential for vaccination plans,' Hasan Nabulsi, Communication Officer at UNICEF, toldSyria Direct.
As of August 4, the Syrian government has confirmed 847 people have tested positive for COVID 19, including 46 people who died and 268 who recovered.
[ 14th January 2021, NORTH Syria ]  In 2020, the closure of three of four border crossings severely restricted the flow of cross border aid.“Relying on one gate to supply the entire north of Syria will not be enough, especially when the vaccine starts to arrive in the area,' al Nahhas warned.
Compounding all of these factors is the shortage of medical supplies in the area. Northeast Syria, unlike the opposition held northwest or regime held territories, does not have a border crossing accessible to the UN.
This brings the total number of Coronavirus cases in Syria to 3041, the toll of the recoveries to 698 and the death cases to 127 ones.
[ 14th January 2021 ]  In the meantime, efforts led by the Syria Immunization Group  ( SIG )  are underway to procure the vaccine for the northwest. The SIG is a local grouping of health organizations formed in 2013 during a polio outbreak, including the Idlib Health Authority and Aleppo Health Authority. The SIG is responsible for the provision of routine immunization there. It receives vaccines directly from UNICEF, according to Fadi Hakim, Advocacy Manager at the Syrian American Medical Society  ( SAMS )  in Idlib.
[ 13 January 2021, Syria ]  HAT's local sources reported that the lower levels of affordability in Al Mayadin may be due to additional costs for traders from Syrian government and Iranian checkpoints en route to the city, all of which require a fee or tribute; additionally, the proximate resurgence of ISIS poses an alarming security risk and burdens traders with additional tolls to pass through roads controlled by the armed group.
[ Sept 29, Over all Syria ]  Save the Children said the new figures mean that in the last six months, the total number of food insecure children across the country has risen to more than 4.6 million. Save the Children said an unprecedented number of children in Syria are now battling soaring malnutrition rates.
[ Sept 29, Over all Syria ]  An additional 700,000 children in Syria face hunger because of the country's badly damaged economy and the impact of coronavirus restrictions, an international aid group warned Tuesday.
On August 3, three health workers reportedly tested positive for COVID 19 at the Al Hol IDP  [ internally displaced people's ]  camp," said OCHA in a press release.The contact tracing process is ongoing. As a precautionary measure, only critical staff, with personal protective equipment, are allowed to operate inside the camp," it added.
Nine years of war have battered healthcare provision across Syria, but the situation in the northeast is particularly critical, as the Kurdish authorities have been left to cope with the coronavirus pandemic largely unaided.
[ April 2020, Syria ]  When caseloads are high, and/or the health workforce is reduced due to infection of health workers, strategic shifts are required to ensure that increasingly limited resources provide maximum benefit for a population.
[ 16th November 2020, Overall Syria ]  The ministry added in a statement to SANA that the total number of Coronavirus infections registered in the country till now has reached at 6759, out of which 2759 ones have recovered while 350 others have passed away.
[ Sept 29, Over all Syria ]  Coronavirus tests at private clinics cost around $60, far too expensive for most Syrians, whose average salary is less than $100 a month. The government conducts about 300 free tests each day for people showing symptoms.
[ Sept 29, NES ]  A recent survey conducted by Save the Children found that 65% of children “have not had an apple, an orange, or a banana for at least three months.' In northeast Syria, an area controlled by the U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces, almost a quarter of children said they had not eaten those fruit in at least nine months, according to Save the Children. Save the Children said parents have little choice but to cut out fresh food such as meat, fruit, and vegetables, relying instead on rice or grains for weeks.
[ April 2020, Syria ]  Alternative modalities of work: To cope with the situation, most of organizations have adopted flexible work arrangements such as staff rotation  ( 72.4% )  and teleworking  ( 44.8% )
[ 17th November 2020, Overall Syria ]  Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that 77 new Coronavirus cases were registered in Syria, and 54 patients have recovered while 4 others have passed away.
[ 9 Nov 2020   23 Nov 2020 ]   [ NES ]  The AANES announces a partial curfew in all the areas under its control starting for 15 days  ( 9 November to 23 November ) , the measures to be applied are as follows: PARTIAL closure of bazaars, restaurants, worship places; All large gatherings  ( weddings, funerals, meetings/conventions )  are completely forbidden; Imposition of wearing masks and application of other preventive measures on all citizens.
Health Ministry announced on Friday that 68 new Coronavirus cases have been registered in Syria and that 17 patients have recovered while 3 others have passed away.
Damascus, SANA – The Health Ministry announced on Saturday that 65 new Coronavirus  ( COVID 19 )  cases have been registered in Syria, and that 15 persons infected with the virus have recovered, while 3 others passed away.
The Logistics Cluster is monitoring customs regulations, with particular focus on COVID 19 related items and sharing lists of prohibited and restricted items for import as and when changes occur. In accordance with WHO guidelines and local health authorities, the Logistics Cluster has enacted measures at the transshipment hubs to mitigate the risks of COVID 19 to teams on the ground, including new handwashing facilities for drivers and workers, promoting physical distancing, raising awareness through visibility items and a staff rotation system.
In northeastern Syria for example, over 2,000 health service providers have been trained.
Public health measures have been taken, such as the banning of large gatherings and the prohibition of movement between sub districts. Previously, two villages Umm Hosh and Ahras were placed under quarantine after COVID 19 cases were discovered there. Further, information about how to prevent the spread of COVID 19 was disseminated in Arabic and Kurdish via brochures and loudspeakers.
Needs: Organisations responding to the needs of the affected population in northwest Syria require a reliable and consistent transshipment service that facilitates the delivery of life saving cargo from Turkey into the region. To manage the threat of COVID 19, coordination and timely information sharing with partners will be critical to assist with partner operational decision making and to ensure bottlenecks and the duplication of efforts are avoided. Ensuring the safety and health of staff working at the transshipment points by following WHO guidelines on mitigating COVID 19 risks at transshipment points.
A number of the cases reported in late July had no contact with each other and no travel history, sparking fears that there is community spread within the NES beyond the reported cases. Testing remains a difficult issue in NES, with additional local testing capacity urgently needed.
In Syria, awareness raising campaigns to face the pandemic were designed to be inclusive and accessible to all groups. The messages conveyed by these campaigns focus on removing potential prejudices based on gender, ethnicity, culture, faith and economic and displacement conditions.
Cluster members continue to scale up the response for people displaced between December 2019 and early March 2020, including with COVID 19 mitigation activities
[ 8th Oct 2020, NW & NE Syria ]  Numerous Syria Relief hospitals and clinics have been targeted and we have had healthcare staff killed in recent months. This had led to a lack of medical infrastructure, particularly in the Northwest and Northeast.
[ 01/02/2021, Overall Syria ]  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 in past months.
The global COVID 19 outbreak has led to an acute and drastic shortage of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment, diagnostics and clinical management
Health workers reported a lack of compliance with preventative measures over the Eid holiday and fear a spike in cases may be seen in two weeks as a result. Local awareness campaigns have been scaled up in an effort to promote social distancing and hand washing to prevent the virus spread
The UN reports an urgent need for more tests and lab capacity within Idlib, to keep up with the increasing demand required to keep a handle on the new outbreak in the area.
Northeast:Five new COVID 19 cases were registered on Sunday in northeast Syria, raising the total number of cases to 36, after 17 cases were announced on Thursday. The co chair of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria's  ( AANES )  Health Department, Juan Mustafa, said that, of the new cases, four are men and one is a woman, all of them in Hasakah city.
On August 4, the AA announced that a total curfew will be imposed in NES for a week starting Thursday, August 6. An exception will be made for shops and grocery stores, public and private bakeries, pharmacies and hospitals, gas stations, and aid organizations.
According to the MoH, 90 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID 19; an increase of 21 since the last report. This includes 51 in Damascus, 14 in Rural Damascus, six in Aleppo, five in Quneitra, four in Lattakia, three in Tartous, two each in Hama and As Sweida, and one each in Homs, Hama and Al Hasakeh.
This highlights the particular risks faced by healthcare workers and underscores – given Syria's fragile healthcare system with already insufficient numbers of qualified healthcare personnel – the potential for its overstretched healthcare capacity to be further compromised. Of concern, humanitarian actors continue to receive reports that healthcare workers in some areas do not have sufficient PPE. The WHO continues to lead efforts to support increased distribution of PPE where needed to ensure the protection of healthcare workers already operating under very challenging circumstances.
In Syria, 2,830 laboratory confirmed cases have been reported by the MoH to date: ten in Deir ez Zor; 26 in Al Hasakeh; 64 in Dar'a; 73 in Quneitra; 87 in Tartous; 106 in As Sweida; 114 in Hama; 211 in Homs; 290 in Rural Damascus; 359 in Lattakia; 466 in Aleppo; and 1,024 in Damascus. In total, 1,153 new cases have been announced since the last report. The MoH has also announced 116 fatalities – an increase of 52 since the last report – and 646 recoveries. Of the cases, 105 cases were announced as imported and 203 as a secondary case  ( exposure/contact with a known case ) .
In particular throughout July and August, humanitarian actors have received ongoing and increased numbers of unverified reports concerning additional possible cases, and information indicating that in some areas, existing healthcare facilities have been unable to absorb all suspected cases and/or healthcare facilities are suspending surgeries or adapting wards to accommodate increased numbers of COVID 19 patients
[ Sept 2020, Rural Aleppo ]  The short term and medium term impact of COVID 19 and accompanying public health measures impacted households in rural communities the most; easing of movement restrictions and lockdowns had a positive effect on households' livelihoods and food access.