Number of those in contact with coronavirus patients greater than previously announced – Autonomous Administration official

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press)- A health sector official in the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria said that, "more people came in contact with those infected with coronavirus inside the city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria than had been announced,”  and she indicated that the Syrian government was still not cooperating with regard to examining arrivals through Qamishli airport.

Rojin Ahmed, a spokeswoman for the health committee in Qamishli district, told North Press on Saturday that, "the number of people in contact with coronavirus-infected patients is likely to be more than the announced number because one of the infected patients visited doctors' clinics, medical laboratories and radiology centers for treatment for a previous illness, so the total number of contacts has not been counted."

The Kurdish Red Crescent announced on Friday that the number of people in contact with coronavirus-infected patients reached 88.

Ahmed explained that people did not respond to the decisions of the crisis management team or implement necessary preventive measures.

Ahmed confirmed that the four infected cases are still in home quarantine and their conditions are monitored on a daily basis by the emergency teams.

Regarding examination of arrivals from Damascus to the northeastern regions of Syria, Ahmed said that “they are still suffering from the lack of cooperation of the Syrian government in examining arrivals through Qamishli airport," though the Autonomous Administration has prevented people from entering its areas through border crossings and subjecting the arrivals to quarantine.

The Health Authority is conducting routine checkups at gathering centers. A checkup was made for students at Rojava University in Qamishli due to the return of students from the Aleppo and the Shahba regions, according to the joint presidency of the university.

Ahmed noted that they are prepared to implement a ban on movement in the city and its entrances for a period of fourteen days, but the economic situation may hinder the decision's implementation.

She said that “the isolation and quarantine center in the Alaya suburb east of Qamishli, is equipped with a room for intensive care…along with a center in the city of Derik, with the possibility of establishing an isolation center in the town of Amude."

Reporting by Abdelhalim Suleiman, editing by Lucas Chapman