Northeast Syria imposes 'total lockdown' due to virus
The new measures coincide with Ramadan and follow a relatively high number of new COVID-19 cases in the autonomous region.
A lockdown will begin in northeast Syria on Tuesday as authorities attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus during Ramadan and following a relatively large number of new infections.
The “full lockdown” will last until April 22 and is a complete ban on nonessential movement. There are some exceptions: Supermarkets can remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pharmacies, hospitals, humanitarian organizations and journalists are also exempt, according to a Sunday statement from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.
The administration is a self-governing entity in northeast Syria. It is led by the Democratic Union Party, which supports Kurdish autonomy in the region. The Syrian government has a presence in the administration’s territory but does not fully recognize its authority.
The new lockdown follows a relatively high number of local coronavirus cases. The administration reported 201 new cases on Monday. The Qamishli-based Rojava Information Center said that the new lockdown was prompted by northeast Syria experiencing “its all-time highest Coronavirus rates,” according to a tweet last week.
