Our @RojavaIC team continues to follow the coronavirus crisis in North and East Syria from the frontlines.
Tabqa,has a stronger health response in place than other nearby cities.
But the hospital only has 5 moderate care beds online, is yet to start proper testing:
Two key crossings from Damascus-held territory contribute to coronavirus' spread.
Isolation centers are themselves hotbeds of the disease, while the detection process is also deficient.
6000 people inc. 4000 students have entered NES, without any corona case being detected.
The Tabqa Health Department explains: “we conduct temperature checks and routine questions, but people give false info to pass through without problems. Taxi drivers tell people what to say to cross without any problems. Moreover, 40 people cross the border illegally every day."
"We don't have to buy ventilators, we have to convince people to wear masks," they add.
Almost no-one wears a mask, and mass public gatherings are commonplace.
However, masks, hand-washing and protective measures are being enforced at public buildings and health facilities.
This derelict school is being redeveloped into a coronavirus center for moderate to severe cases, but this process will take months.
There are only 18 reported cases in Tabqa to date, but as no proper testing has started yet real figures are likely much higher.
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