Skip to main content

UNHCR Jordan COVID-19 response (10 November 2020)

Countries
Jordan
+ 1 more
Sources
UNHCR
Publication date
Origin
View original

Country context: cases rising fast in Jordan, now one of the world’s hotspots

Since January 2020, the Government of Jordan has taken strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes refugee camps, which were put under restrictions of movement as of mid-March, with only essential staff given access. By July, most restrictions were lifted, while precaution measures have been enhanced. Since the beginning of the pandemic outbreak, all refugees in Jordan have been included in the National Health Response Plan and are able to access national health services on par with Jordanian nationals. With the increase in cases during September and October, Jordan is now in the phase of community transmission, with a total of 114,986 cases and 1,295 deaths.

Refugee camps: cases below national average, faster rate of recovery recorded

As of 10 November, the total number of persons of concern (PoC) that have tested positive for COVID-19 in Jordan’s refugee camps reached 672, of which 503 have recovered. No deaths have been recorded. While the number of PoC cases has increased, it remains lower the national average, with 0.6% of the refugee population in camps having tested positive, compared to 1.1% of the total Jordanian population, while 75% of the total refugee cases in camps have recovered, as compared to 8% of total Jordanian cases. UNHCR is working closely with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate to carry out surveillance and contact tracing exercises in the camps, while confirmed cases are being quarantined either in their own shelters or at isolation sites and transferred to hospital as needed as per the established protocol.