Syria: Humanitarian Snapshot, November 2020 (UNRWA)

Rapid Increase in Number of Confirmed Cases of COVID-19

As of 30 November, 7,797 COVID-19 cases (413 fatalities and 3,500 recoveries with an increase of approximately 2,000 cases in one month. Amongst those cases, 239 health workers were confirmed by the Syrian Ministry of Health (MoH). The testing remains low – 64,000 tests were performed in laboratories across Syria as of 30 November, with a current average of 550 tests per day.

Fifty-five Palestine refugees have tested positive and six have died from COVID-19 since mid-March. Seventytwo UNRWA staff have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-March and 37 staff remain in quarantine at the end of the reporting period.

Yarmouk camp return process

On November 8, the Governor of Damascus visited Yarmouk and officially announced the launch of the return process that has started on November 10. Prior to this date, 430 families had received approval from the security forces to return to Yarmouk and more than 60 per cent of those families were physically present in the camp. People registering to return should present an ownership deed; their home will then be checked by Yarmouk Services Office Engineers