COVID-19 spreads through camps as Ramadan begins in Syria

The figures emerge as authorities have put the entire region under a strict 10-day emergency lockdown, with people only allowed out of their homes for essential items. As well as the spread of the virus in the camps — which are overcrowded and lack adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities — Save the Children is concerned about the impact of the lockdown, which coincides with the start of Ramadan. Many of the services run by the organization have been suspended. Most of the newly reported cases are among mothers, some of whom have been transferred to isolation facilities. At least 12,756 cases and 432 deaths have been reported in North East Syria since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak more than a year ago, with over 1,400 cases and 53 deaths over the past week.