Kurdish officials in northern Syria are calling on the international community to provide medical assistance to help prevent an outbreak of COVID-19.
On Monday, the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (NES) said it has extended its existing curfew for another 15 days.
Briefing reporters on the latest containment measures, administration official Abdul Hamid al-Mahbash urged coalition allies and aid agencies “to provide the necessary medical and health equipment to combat the spread of this virus and spare the region from a possible humanitarian catastrophe”, ANHA reports.
Although there are currently no confirmed coronavirus cases in Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria, known to Kurds as Rojava, authorities are acutely aware of the weakness of the health system and its vulnerability to the pandemic.
Mahbash said they are especially concerned about the financial burden of caring for displaced civilians at the Al-Hol camp in Hasaka – home to thousands of Islamic State (ISIS) families – who live in “difficult humanitarian conditions”.
The Rojava curfew, first imposed on March 23, will now last until at least April 21.
Mahbash said “the curfew in place has forced them to stop many service projects”.
“All these decisions are absolutely necessary, and they have contributed and will contribute effectively to limiting the transmission of this epidemic to our regions,” Mahbash added.
As of Tuesday morning, Syria has recorded 19 cases of COVID-19 and two deaths, according to World Meters.
