COVID-19: Syrian capital and parts that have rebelled facing common enemy
September 30, 2021, 3:35 pm

COVID-19: Syrian capital and parts that have rebelled facing common enemy

Covid-Syria

The Alarabiya reported, citing Reuters that Syrian people are facing coronavirus in both the Syrian capital Damascus and parts of the country that have rebelled against its rule during a decade of war.

According to the report, intensive care beds have filled up at hospitals across the fractured nation this month because of a COVID-19 surge, piling pressure on health systems shattered by conflict and amid slow vaccination campaigns.

“There are many cases that need intensive care and unfortunately often we either have to wait for a patient to be moved from the wing, or to die so another can replace them,” said Absi Mohamad Fouad, a doctor at a hospital in Idlib in the opposition-held northwest.

Some 4 million people live in the northwest, 1.7 million of them in camps for those uprooted by the conflict.

“The hospitals can no longer absorb this attack,” Fouad added, saying that younger people were being hit harder by this wave. All 70 beds were in use at his hospital and there was an oxygen shortage, he said.

More than 1,000 cases a day are being recorded in the northwest, often up to 1,500, said Mark Cutts, UN deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis.

He said, but with testing kits in short supply, the real figure could be a lot higher.

“We are extremely concerned. This is the biggest spike we have seen since the beginning of the pandemic in northwest Syria. It is similar in other parts of Syria.”

“It’s a disastrous situation. The hospitals are completely overwhelmed. People are dying because of a lack of oxygen,” he said. Less than 2 percent of people in the northwest have been vaccinated.

Vaccination campaigns have made slow progress more widely in Syria, where the overall population stands at around 18 million.

In the northwest, some 117,000 people have received a shot, according to local health authorities. The government’s campaign has vaccinated some 450,000 people.

At a Damascus hospital this week, medics in disposable gowns and face masks tended to patients hooked up to oxygen.

The situation was so bad at one point that patients were sent to Homs for treatment, said Tawfik Hasaba, head of the Syrian ambulance service. “Today one of the infected patients who needed care was transported to Hama.” Homs is about 140 km (85 miles) from Damascus, and Hama 180 km.

The biggest daily tally of infections in this wave according to the Syrian government was 442.

Official figures say there have been more than 31,000 infections and over 2,100 coronavirus-related deaths reported in Syria since the pandemic began last year.

Source: alarabiya

US won't 'normalize or upgrade' diplomatic relations with Bashar al-Assad Britain could face mass cull of pigs due to butcher shortage

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”