COVID-19 pandemic in Libya

The first case of a COVID-19 pandemic in Libya became known on March 24th. As of May 15, 2020, a total of 64 fell ill with the COVID-19 virus and 3 died in Libya, a country in which there is a civil war .

background

This pandemic is part of the global COVID-19 pandemic that started in China in December 2019. It affects the novel disease COVID-19. This is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus from the Coronaviridae group and belongs to the group of respiratory diseases . From March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic.

location

According to the WHO, Libya's historically inadequate health system continued to deteriorate in 2017 due to the civil war in Libya since 2014. The health sectors in Libya have only limited financial resources, there are not enough staff, emergency medicine for civilians is minimized and used for military purposes. There is also a lack of basic medical care. Numerous hospitals were closed and the open houses had to reduce their capacity.

In addition, the pandemic makes it more difficult to find a diplomatic solution to the civil war, because confidential talks and meetings, informal rounds behind the scenes and crisis summits of diplomats cannot take place. Only telephone calls and video conferences are possible and cannot replace meetings and negotiations.

course

Even before the first report of a COVID-19 infection, the Libyan government had decided to close all border crossings as well as seaports and airports from March 16, 2020. Entry into Libya is only possible for its own nationals. On March 20, the population in the state capital Tripoli became unrest when the first suspicion of a COVID-19 virus infection was spread and hamsters were bought. The government then banned the gathering of people and ordered restaurants and bars to be closed at night.

Libya reported the first COVID-19 case on March 24, 2020, after which the internationally recognized and opposing government imposed curfews in Libya.

The National Center for Disease Control in Libya, which can work in both government areas, announced on March 20 that 8 people were infected with COVID-19. As a result, the government of Libya announced that they had released more than 450 prisoners from prison so that they would not become infected. Although it was recognized that the risk of infection was increasing, the fighting between the parties did not stop.

Malta started an initiative after mid-April 2020 with the aim of providing Libya with more humanitarian aid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context and before a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas pleaded to the Libyan parties to the conflict to stop fighting immediately.

In mid-May 2020, the United Nations announced that it feared the pandemic will have a dramatic impact because the Covid-19 virus is a major threat to health and safety due to the armed conflict in the country. In the past few years, 400,000 Libyans have been driven from their homes when the capital Tripoli was heavily attacked. At least 15 attacks on clinics and health facilities were carried out, injuring employees and violating human rights. Calls for a humanitarian ceasefire have died down and the fighting continues and impairs the delivery of humanitarian goods.

Between the beginning of 2020 and April, more than 3,200 people had been picked up and brought back in the Mediterranean. Many of them went to the eleven official camps that existed, but some of those who had fled were also taken to unofficial camps to which the humanitarian workers have no access.

statistics

The number of cases developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya as follows:

Infections

Confirmed infections (cumulative) in Libya
according to WHO data

New infections in Libya
according to WHO data

Deaths

Confirmed deaths (cumulative) in Libya
according to WHO data

Confirmed deaths (daily) in Libya
according to WHO data

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Cases reported to WHO by national authorities are listed here. Since the situation is very dynamic, there may be discrepancies or delays between the cases of the WHO and the data of national authorities as well as the information provided by other bodies, such as the Johns Hopkins University (CSSE).

Web links

Commons : COVID-19 pandemic in Libya  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Libya confirms first coronavirus case amid fear over readiness . In: Reuters of March 24, 2020
2. ↑ Libya . In: Worldometers from May 15, 2020
3. ↑ Pulmonologists on the net: Covid-19: Causes . Online at www.lungenaerzte-im-netz.de. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
4. ↑ Tagesschau: "Deeply worried". WHO speaks of corona pandemic . March 11, 2020. Online at www.tagesschau.de. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
5. ^ Libya health situation reports . In: WHO October 2017
6. ^ Matthias Gebauer, Christoph Schult: Contactless diplomacy . In: Spiegel Online from May 23, 2020
7. ^ Libya: travel warning . In: Federal Foreign Office of March 31, 2020
8. ^ Fighting continues in Libya as fears of coronavirus spread . In: Aljazeera of March 20, 2020
9. ↑ Libya confirms first coronavirus case amid fear over readiness : In: Reuters of March 24, 2020
10. ↑ Libya frees more than 450 prisoners to stem spread of coronavirus . In: Aljazeera of March 30, 2020
11. ↑ Anelise Borges: Libya: Ongoing fighting increases the risk of corona . In: Euronews of April 16, 2020
12. ^ Damir Fras: Concern for refugees in the civil war country Libya . In: Editorial network Germany from April 22, 2020
13. ↑ UN feared dramatic effects of COVID-19 in Libya . In: Evangelical Church of May 14, 2020
14. ↑ ^{a b c d} Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation reports. WHO, accessed on August 9, 2020 .