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Northeast Syria Reports First Confirmed Coronavirus Death, Braces for
Outbreak

Jeff Seldin

   Authorities in northeastern Syria have confirmed the region's first
   death from the coronavirus, renewing fears the pandemic is about to
   make a devastating run through the war-torn region.

   The Autonomous Administration for North and East Syria announced the
   death of a 53-year-old man from Hasakah city on Friday.

   In a statement, officials said he had been brought to a hospital in
   Qamishli on March 27 and died less than a week later, on April 2.

   The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the death in a report
   this week to the Syrian branch of the U.N. Office for the Coordination
   of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA Syria).

   Relative treated

   The U.N. report said one of the man's relatives has also been
   hospitalized in Qamishli with COVID-19 symptoms, and that test results
   are pending. Inas Hamam, a WHO regional spokesperson in Cairo, told VOA
   that active surveillance was ongoing across northeastern Syria for more
   potential cases.

   According to the WHO, Syria has reported 38 cases of the coronavirus so
   far, including two deaths and five people who have recovered.

   But Western intelligence officials believe that tally is far too low.

   Kurdish officials in Syria's northeast, as well as U.S. diplomatic
   officials, accuse the government of Bashar al-Assad and its ally Russia
   of hindering shipments of testing materials and medical supplies to the
   region, which is under the control of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic
   Forces.
   

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