{"id":58404,"date":"2021-04-27T16:04:48","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T16:04:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/?p=58404"},"modified":"2021-04-27T16:04:50","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T16:04:50","slug":"idps-in-northeast-syrias-camps-fear-spread-of-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npasyria.com\/en\/58404\/","title":{"rendered":"IDPs in northeast Syria\u2019s camps fear spread of coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DERIK, Syria (North Press) \u2013 <\/strong>IDPs in the Newroz Camp, east of Derik in far northeast Syria, fear the spread of coronavirus in the camp amid poor healthcare capabilities in the camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amina al-Daher, an IDP from Sere Kaniye residing in Newroz Camp, prevents her children from playing or contacting other children in the camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She urges them to continuously clean themselves and wash their hands, and avoids visiting her neighbors and gathering with them after coronavirus infections were recorded in the camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This does not dispel her fears, especially as all IDPs share the same kitchens and bathrooms; in addition, the tents are close to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She mentioned that she has been out of sterilization products for months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newroz Camp includes 350 families displaced by the Turkish invasion of Sere Kaniye and Tel Abyad late in 2019, in addition to families from the cities of Afrin and Kobani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, the camp recorded four coronavirus infections, three of which completely recovered and the last of which is under medical care, according to the Kurdish Red Crescent team in the camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hedla Jimo, an IDP from Sere Kaniye, self-quarantined in her tent for 10 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, her husband, child, and aunt residing with her stayed with relatives inside the camp for fear of catching the virus, according to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jimo received medical care during her quarantine by the Kurdish Red Crescent, who also secured food for her family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She pointed out that lack of awareness may drive some in the camp to hide their infections, while she resorted to the medical point and explained her health situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The camp includes a Kurdish Red Crescent medical point staffed by 12 members, including a pediatrician, an internal medicine doctor, a midwife, a pharmacist, nurses, and paramedics, in addition to an ambulance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jimo complained about the lack of support provided by organizations working in the camp regarding the distribution of masks and sterilizers, as they had distributed sterilizers only once since the spread of the virus in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spread of the virus in the camp ”will be a disaster,” she expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kurdish Red Crescent team dedicated a tent to quarantine the infected, and there is an emergency team that takes care of patients and transfers them to the hospital should their condition necessitate it, according to the team leader Ahmed al-Mustafa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, al-Mustafa explained that they have not needed to transfer any infected to Derik Hospital so far, ”as all the infections are moderate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team conducts health awareness sessions to confront coronavirus, ”but the IDPs are not responding, as they are not committed to preventative measures, especially wearing masks, and they refuse to quarantine.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Director of the Relations Office in the camp Dijla Muhammad said that some organizations have distributed sterilizers and masks inside the camp, ”but they were insufficient.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the appearance of cases in the camp, the administration of the camp imposed a complete lockdown for two weeks on it before it ended it with the recovery of three cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the movement of the IDPs to the city of Derik, Muhammad stated that according to the organizing councils in the camp, four residents from each council can leave to bring the IDPs’ needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reporting by Solnar Muhammad<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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