UNICEF warns of the alarming surge in Covid-19 cases in Libya

The National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 6,061 new COVID cases on July 18th, the highest daily rate since the pandemic’s late-2019 outbreak.

According to the data, with the Delta variant now most likely in Libya, the virus is swiftly spreading across the nation, with a whopping 270 per cent rise in COVID-19 cases in the West, 480 per cent in the South, and 50 per cent in the East.

While these figures are a reason for worry, UNICEF believes that the real number of infections is likely to be substantially higher due to acute testing and laboratory capacity shortages.

“We are concerned about the virus’s fast spread in the country,” said Abdul Kadir Musse, UNICEF Special Representative in Libya. “The vaccination rate is quite poor, and the disease is rapidly spreading. We must respond more quickly. The most essential thing we can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variations is to guarantee that everyone eligible is immunized. Countries with high coverage of two doses of vaccinations have been able to significantly lower hospitalization and mortality rates. We must also adhere to preventative measures,” he stressed.

UNICEF also stated that it will continue to support the safe distribution and use of COVID-19 vaccinations in Libya. UNICEF has so far supplied three batches of COVID-19 vaccination via the COVAX Facility. In collaboration with Libya’s national health authorities, the vaccinations are delivered to immunization sites around the country.

“On the eve of Eid Al-Adha, UNICEF wishes all Libyan children and their families a happy and safe Eid. To ensure the safety of Eid, we urgently advise all Libyans to wear masks, keep physical distance, wash their hands often, and get vaccinated,” said Abdul Kadir Musse, UNICEF Special Representative in Libya.

Since the start of the pandemic, Libya has had 221,495 new COVID-19 cases, while the highly infectious Delta form persists in adjacent nations.

The GNU Ministry of Health recently announced that 437,414 individuals had gotten vaccinations so far, with 905,000 people enrolled in the system, and asked those who have still to register to do so as quickly as possible to speed the process of safeguarding the whole population from the virus.