Rif Dimashq – North-Press Agency
Coronavirus infections in the Syrian capital, Damascus, have caused damage to jobs of thousands of people and shop owners in Sayyidah Zaynab town, in Rif Dimashq governorate, after imposing a full lockdown by Syrian government about a week ago on the area that is considered a destination for religious tourism for adherents of the Shiite sect, due to the existence of religious shrines in it.
Lockdown imposition on the mentioned area came after confirmation of infected people with coronavirus, who had come from Lebanon, according to government sources.
Hadi al-Khafaji, a shop owner in Bahman Market in Sayyidah Zaynab, told North Press that the outbreak of the virus in Iran and Lebanon affected negatively on touristic activities and commercial jobs, especially with the approach of the religious tourism season, which usually begins at the beginning of Ramadan, adding that 70% of the residents live on the revenues of religious tourism.
On April 3, the Syrian Ministry of Health announced the rise of the number of infected people with coronavirus to 16, including two deaths.
Therefore, like other commercial and industrial activities, tourism activity in the area has been completely paralyzed since the outbreak of coronavirus in Iran, Lebanon, and some Arab Gulf states.
Abdul Karim Alolo, the owner of “Wilayat Ali” Hotel in the vicinity of the shrine of Sayyidah Zaynab, said to North Press that the problem lies in preventing going in and out of the area, as well as the prevention of wandering but for necessary needs.
In light of fears of the rise of the number of infected people, the Syrian government has equipped public and private health centers and hospitals in the area.
Regarding the infected and the quarantined people, Muhammad al-Aqraa, a doctor at al-Khomeini Hospital in Sayyidah Zaynab, told North Press: “The infections are by people who came from outside Syria, where they were quarantined, it later became clear that there are some infected among them.”
“Medicines and medical care are provided to the infected people in the quarantine within the possible limits, as there is no cure for the virus so far,” he added.