Aid group complains Mideast lockdowns hinder humanitarian efforts

Norwegian Refugee Council says it’s unable to reach people in need in Syria, Yemen and Gaza, which all have fragile healthcare systems that could become overwhelmed by outbreak

Medical workers oversee the disinfection of the streets to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Qamishli, Syria on March 24, 2020. (AP/Baderkhan Ahmad)
Medical workers oversee the disinfection of the streets to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Qamishli, Syria on March 24, 2020. (AP/Baderkhan Ahmad)

CAIRO (AP) — An international aid group said Wednesday that closures aimed at containing the coronavirus pandemic are preventing it from reaching 300,000 people in conflict zones across the Middle East, after authorities in Libya’s capital reported the first case in the war-torn country.

The Norwegian Refugee Council said it was unable to reach people in Syria, Yemen and the Gaza Strip, where authorities have imposed strict measures to halt the spread of the virus. All have fragile health care systems that could be overwhelmed by an outbreak, and only Yemen has yet to report any cases.

The group said virus lockdowns have also limited access to parts of Africa and Asia.

“While governments are taking tough and much-needed measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, millions of refugees and displaced people still depend on humanitarian assistance,” said Jan Egeland, head of the aid group.

Paramedics work in a laboratory that tests samples taken from patients suspected of being infected with the new coronavirus, in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, Iran, March, 10, 2020. (Amin Nazari/ISNA via AP)

“If supermarkets and pharmacies can remain operational during this crisis, then so should the delivery of humanitarian aid,” he added.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those showing no symptoms.

Countries across the Middle East have imposed sweeping measures to prevent its spread, including closing their borders, cancelling flights and in some cases imposing round-the-clock curfews.

The Israeli government on Wednesday approved new restrictions, including the closure of all synagogues. Authorities across the region have already shuttered major holy sites sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews.

Many in Israel’s insular ultra-Orthodox communities have defied restrictions on public gatherings, despite the pleas of rabbis and local authorities. That has led to tension with authorities and in at least one case, scuffles with police.

People pray in front of the shuttered gates to al-Aqsa mosque compound as all prayers are suspended to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Jerusalem on March 23, 2020. AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Twenty-nine percent of those who contracted the virus in Israel were infected in a synagogue or a yeshiva, according to an analysis by the National Information and Knowledge Center for the Fight Against the Coronavirus, which has been advising the Health Ministry.

The new restrictions in Israel will bar most people from venturing more that 100 meters (yards) from their homes. More than 2,100 Israelis have been infected, with 37 in serious condition. Five elderly Israelis with pre-existing medical conditions have died.

The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has ordered a full lockdown and halted travel between cities, towns and villages. Sixty cases have been reported in the West Bank and another two in Gaza.

Late Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority ordered all Palestinian workers to return to the West Bank from Israel, which had allowed around 65,000 to stay and work during the crisis.

Many Palestinians work in construction, agriculture and manufacturing in Israel. Wages in Israel are much higher than in the Palestinian territories, where decades of Israeli military rule has hindered economic development.

In Libya, officials say a 73-year-old man who entered from neighboring Tunisia on March 5 tested positive. He had recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, according to Libya’s National Center for Disease Control, and is being treated for fever and cough in isolation at a Tripoli hospital.

A police officers dispenses hand sanitizer in an effort to contain the coronavirus, in Lahore, Pakistan on March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudhry)

Libya has been mired in chaos since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. It is governed by rival authorities based in Tripoli and eastern Libya whose forces have been battling over the capital for nearly a year.

On Tuesday, Tripoli’s suburbs came under heavy fire even as the United Nations appealed for a truce so authorities could focus on the pandemic.

In Egypt, a nationwide curfew from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. would go into effect Wednesday. Egypt has confirmed 442 cases and 22 fatalities, including two senior military officers who were involved in efforts to disinfect public places.

Iran is battling the worst outbreak in the region, with over 27,000 confirmed cases and a death toll of at least 2,077. Authorities have advised people to stay at home but have not imposed the kinds of lockdowns seen elsewhere. In parts of Tehran, the streets are still crowded and few seem be taking precautions.

Afghanistan imposed a lockdown on its western Herat province, which borders Iran and where the largest number of cases has been detected. Afghan authorities have reported 76 cases and two deaths. The NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan has reported four cases among soldiers who recently arrived in Kabul.

People traveling in a motorized rickshaw wear face masks in an effort to avoid the spread of the coronavirus, in Karachi, Pakistan on March 24, 2020. (AP/Fareed Khan)

Afghanistan has been at war for decades, and more than half of its population lives in poverty.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, expanded its curfew hours in the cities of Mecca and Medina, home to Islam’s holiest sites, as well as the capital, Riyadh. Residents now must remain inside their homes from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m. The kingdom also banned travel in or out of the three governorates. Saudi Arabia has reported 900 cases.

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad carrier, one of the biggest in the Middle East, said it has had to cut salaries by 25-50% due to the grounding of its passenger flights. The United Arab Emirates, which is home to the world’s busiest airport, in Dubai, took the unprecedented decision this week to halt all passenger flights, including transit flights, to curb the spread of the virus.

Pakistan halted all domestic passenger flights beginning Thursday after reporting nearly 1,000 total cases, including seven deaths and 19 who recovered. It had previously suspended train service and international flights.

The outbreak in Pakistan was initially confined to people who had recently traveled to Iran but now appears to be circulating among those with no recent travel history.

Most Popular
read more: