Iraq: COVID-19 Situation Report No. 12, 26 April 2020
This report was produced by OCHA Iraq in collaboration with humanitarian partners and from news sources
KEY MESSAGES
1761 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of 26 April 2020
86 fatalities confirmed due to COVID-19 as of 26 April 2020
1224 patients who have recovered from the virus
Partial lifting of curfew; airport closures extended
Food production and supply reported to be stable
IOM Dashboard tracks impact of COVID-19
GHRP operational update published
SITUATION OVERVIEW
As of 26 April 2020, the WHO has confirmed 1761 cases of COVID-19 in Iraq; 86 fatalities; and 1224 patients who have recovered from the virus. Approximately 20 per cent of the cases have been recorded in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). There have been 68,224 COVID-19 tests carried out in both federal Iraq and KRI.
The Government of Iraq (GOI) has partially lifted the stringent curfews and movement restrictions which have been in place for several weeks. The Government announced that until 22 May, a total curfew will be in place between 19:00h and 06:00h each evening of the work week, and all day on Fridays and Saturdays, with limited movements permitted at other times.
Restaurants can now operate delivery services, shops and factories can come back online if they implement preventive measures, and government offices have re-opened at reduced capacity. Gatherings of more than three people are banned; facemasks are mandatory. Schools, places of worship, cafes and malls remain closed. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has extended curfews and movement restrictions until 1 May, and the closure of government offices until 2 May. The KRI lockdown had previously allowed for some easing of conditions, with a total curfew between 00:00h and 06:00h, and some limited movements permitted at other times. The KRG has also eased the total prohibition on movement between governorates in KRI; there is an online application form that citizens can submit to petition for permission to carry out critical travel. Airports throughout Iraq will remain closed to commercial travel until 22 May.
The weekly COVID-19 Food Security Monitor report issued by FAO, WFP and the World Bank indicates that the GOI has taken measures to allow the food supply chain to function normally even among movement restrictions, and thus food production and supply (including imports) are generally stable and adequate. The outlook for the upcoming barley and wheat harvests is good, and the GOI continues to facilitate the harvest and storage of the crops, in addition to purchasing and selling farmers’ products at subsidized prices. However, farmers are concerned about the drop in oil prices and resulting loss of fiscal revenue, as it may affect the government’s ability to purchase their crops.
IOM DTM has created a new interactive dashboard which provides information on the status of healthcare services, public awareness levels, access to services, and the overall economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across Iraq. Data was collected for all of Iraq at sub-district level, via phone interviews. Public awareness of COVID-19 is high, with over 90 per cent of respondents saying they felt they had sufficient information. The most commonly reported challenges were the interruption of education (89 per cent), followed by loss of livelihood (81 per cent).
The first operational update of the Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) for COVID-19 has been published. Slightly over $600 million has been received, out of the $2.01 billion requested. The first revision of the GHRP will be published on 7 May, with a request to significantly scale up global transport and logistics networks to help move people and supplies more quickly and efficiently. The GHRP is expected to be revised regularly as the global impact of the virus becomes clearer.
