RIYADH (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th March, 2020) UNICEF's middle East and North Africa regional communications chief Juliette Touma told Sputnik that there are no coronavirus cases currently in Syria and Yemen but the fund is carrying out awareness-raising programs.
"I could only imagine how catastrophic it would be if we have this virus coming into these countries like Syria, like Yemen," Touma said. "But thankfully, until now, we don't have any cases, and hopefully with the awareness-raising campaigns that we're doing on the ground... especially for hygiene, for washing hands - the virus would not come to these countries."
Touma, who spoke the sidelines of the 2nd Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, also stressed that the virus has not had any impact on their operations in Syria.
"We have been delivering information packages, especially on social media and in remote places where there is no social media," she said. "We have been giving the pamphlets and also information materials to families. Like, for example, in Yemen, where we have a cash assistance program, we give leaflets and pamphlets to people so that we raise awareness."
This is done, she added, in coordination with the World Health Organization, who has been giving UNICEF the awareness-raising material.
"And we have been distributing this material across the region. We do hope that the virus is contained as soon as possible," Touma said.
The novel coronavirus was first detected in China in late December and has since spread to more than 50 countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency. More than 89,000 people have been infected with the virus worldwide, some 3,000 have died and more than 45,000 have recovered.
