3. What is COVID-19?
• Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause
illness ranging from the common cold to more severe
diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-
CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). A
novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been
previously identified in humans.
• Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted
between animals and people.
• Common signs of infection include:
• Respiratory symptoms
• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath and breathing difficulties
• In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia,
severe acute respiratory syndrome, renal failure and even
death.
• When a disease is new as COVID-19, there is usually no
vaccine until one is developed. It can even take a number of
years for a new vaccine to be developed.
4. Update on COVID-19 epidemic until 24th February 2020
• Globally: 79,424 confirmed cases, including 2,626 associated deaths
• China: 77,262 confirmed cases, 2,595 deaths
• Outside China: 2,162 confirmed cases, 17 deaths, from 33 countries
• Iran: 61 confirmed cases, 12 deaths
• Iraq: 1 case reported in Najaf – religious student travelling back from Iran
and 04 from same family in Kirkuk with the recent travel history
to Iran
Global Strategic objectives
• Limit human-to-human transmission including reducing secondary
infections among close contacts and health care workers
• Identify, isolate and care for patients early, including providing optimized
care for infected patients
• Address crucial unknowns regarding clinical severity, extent of transmission
and infection, treatment options, and accelerate the development of
diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines
• Communicate critical risk and event information to all communities and
counter misinformation
• Minimize social and economic impact through multisectoral partnerships
• Identify and reduce transmission from the animal source
5. Iraq response to COVID-19
• Restriction of entry to non-Iraqi travelers (direct or indirect for a previous period of 14-days)
coming from China, Iran, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Italy, and Singapore until further
notice.
• Iraqis coming from these countries are quarantined at their homes for 14 days (for those of
no clinical signs), and at designated hospitals in each governorate (for those with clinical
symptoms).
• Advise citizens to avoid gatherings (especially in closed sites) and travel (except in
emergency situations).
• Avoid conducting meetings, symposiums, and other events except for emergency
conditions.
• Adopt a fast track mechanism to procure medical supplies, test kits, PPEs, thermal
scanners, and other needed diagnostic and curative commodities through KIMADIA and
distribute it to all possible sites (Ports of Entry, Government buildings, etc.).
• Since a case has been identified in Najaf & 4 in Kirkuk, special measures are taken in the
holy governorate as follows:
– Inspection of all who were in contact with cases.
– Quarantine all those coming from Iran after 10 Feb 2020 and test those with clinical symptoms.
– Advise citizens not to travel between governorates (especially Najaf and Kirkuk) except for emergencies.
6. COVID-19 prevention activities supported by WHO
in Iraq from 10th January 2020 to date
• MoH had their ARI response plans, that had been
quickly activated with technical guidance of WHO
on 10th January to the relevant authorities in MoH
to prepare the Ports of Entry and establish
surveillance in the PoEs.
• MoH higher committee meeting convened on 27th
January 2020
• Coordination teams established on 29th January
2020.
• Quarantine of passengers at six PoEs started from
31st January 2020; three more POE-screening
facilities between Iran and Iraq established on 20th
February
7. COVID-19 prevention activities supported by WHO in
Iraq from 10th January 2020 to date – contd.
• Laboratory reagents brought in and supplied on 9th
February; so far eleven tests performed, and five
became positive for COVID-19
• PPEs for laboratories were provided on 12th February
2020 and a consignment for managing 100 cases is in
the pipeline
• ToT on detection verification and response to Severe
Acute Respiratory Infections was conducted in KRG on
10th and 11th February 2020 and 25th February in
Baghdad. Training for staff from the hospitals
completed for 100 staffs and another 200 staff will be
trained in the coming weeks
• Regular weekly meetings and technical updates shared
among the MoH, relevant ministries, and WHO.
• Situation updates are shared daily with partners
• A regional mission is planned to Iraq (1-5 March) to
look into COVID-19 Preparedness in the context of mass
gathering
8. Prevention methods
• Wash your hands frequently: Regularly and thoroughly
clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash
them with soap and water.
• Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-
based hand rub remove and kills viruses that may be contaminated
from the surfaces on your hands.
• Maintain social distancing: Maintain at least 1 meter (3
feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing
or sneezing.
• Why? When an infected person coughs or sneezes they spray small
respiratory droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain
virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, or the
droplets may contaminate your mucous membranes on of nose,
mouth and eyes.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
• Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can contaminated by the
viruses that are discharged from an infected person and staying for
a while on the surfaces. The contaminated, hands can transfer the
virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter
your body and can make you sick.
9. Prevention methods – contd.
• Practice respiratory hygiene: Make sure you, and the
people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This
means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow
or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then safely dispose of
the used tissue immediately and clean your whole upper
limb or wash the clothes at the earliest.
• Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene
you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu
and COVID-19.
• Practice self quarantine and seek early medical care: Stay
home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and
difficulty breathing, seek medical attention as early as
possible. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
• Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date
information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will
allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right
health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of
viruses and other infections.
10. COVID-19 awareness session in Erbil
1st March 2020
• Health, WASH, Education and CCCM clusters are
conducting a COVID-19 awareness session (half-day) in
Dedeman Hotel, Erbil on Sunday 1 March, 2020
• The purpose of this session is to spread awareness on
the basic principles of prevention and protection
against infection in the camps supported by partner
agencies
• Project managers are requested to participate
• PMs then transfer this knowledge to their counterparts/focal
persons in the camps, to be disseminated to affected
population
• Deadline for registration: COB Thursday, 27th February
2020
11. Important links
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the
public:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-
coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
• Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) situation
reports:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-
coronavirus-2019/situation-reports
• COVID awareness materials –
English/Arabic/Kurdish:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1PB90ELM
HOaQmDYRY8rcUvtNlOOeA78sU
