Under the measures that are in effect until May 6, all shops must be closed from 7 pm to 7 am, large gatherings including weddings and funerals are banned, and schools and religious buildings remain closed, the executive council of Rojava’s administration announced on Thursday.
Rojava authorities imposed a week-long lockdown beginning April 13. Restrictions were later extended until April 29.
Border crossings into Rojava are closed for general traffic. Exceptions are made for aid workers, students, trade, and persons traveling for medical reasons.
Rojava recorded 123 new cases of coronavirus and 14 deaths on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases up to 15,796. A total of 571 people have died. In this new wave of infections, healthcare workers say they are seeing more young people contracting the virus and that many people were hesitant to visit specialized health centres when they began experiencing symptoms.
Hospitals in the northeast region have limited capacity and resources, including COVID-19 testing equipment. On Tuesday, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned that the only corona-testing lab in Rojava, located in Qamishli, could run out of tests within a week, treatment centres are at capacity, seven centres were forced to close in March because of lack of funding, and there is a shortage of oxygen and medicine in Deir ez-Zor.
“The health system is struggling to cope, and the situation is deteriorating extremely rapidly,” said Misty Buswell, policy and advocacy director for the IRC in the Middle East.
Damascus received its first delivery of coronavirus vaccines this month, meant to be shared among areas under regime control, the rebel-held northwest, and Rojava. Rojava authorities say they have not yet received any doses.
“As things stand, we do not know when these doses will reach the northeast but, although they will not be a silver bullet, they cannot get there soon enough,” said the IRC’s Buswell.
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