Middle East & North Africa Region COVID-19 Situation Report No. 9 (31 August 2020)
Highlights
As of August 30, over 1.5 million cases were reported in the MENA region, out of which 220,834 are active and 40% are new. A slight fall in deaths was observed for the first time since March.
UNICEF adopted a twin-track risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) approach on COVID-19 prevention and demand revitalization of services, particularly health and education. To date, approximately 270 million people have been reached and 37 million engaged, while around 680,000 have provided feedback.
UNICEF reached around 12.5 million people with critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies (i.e. hygiene kits, soap and hand sanitizers) more than 120,00 healthcare workers received personal protective equipment (PPEs) in 13 countries, and close to 10,000 people have been trained in infection prevention control (IPC).
Countries further ensure continuity of health & nutrition services (under 5.5 million women/children reached; under 7,500 individuals trained in managing COVID-19 cases; PPE/IPC stocks replenished in Lebanon). Over 2 million caregivers have also received messages on breastfeeding, and under 200,000 children received severe acute malnutrition (SAM) treatment. This represents a drop compared to the same time period in 2019, due to lower demand for services, driven by fear of contagion, discontinuation of mobile services and a drop in partner reporting.
Schools reopened fully, partially, online or in a hybrid way in most of the countries in August, while Yemen, Sudan,
Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman and Libya extended closure due to floods, increasing COVID-19 cases, school-related transmissions. UNICEF reached under 4 million children as part of continuous education, further supported national examinations for 2019-2020 and launched the Teachers’ Preparedness Training Package for the new year.
Close to 13,000 individuals have been served with alternative care arrangements, while mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) has reached under 315,000 children, parents and primary caregivers. Moreover, over 3,500 UNICEF personnel and partners have completed gender-based violence (GBV) training while over 135,000 children and adults have been given protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) channel access.
To date, over 65,000 households have received a humanitarian cash grant, and under 12 million households have benefited from new or additional social assistance measures, as part of UNICEF’s support to governments’ expansion