Damascus:
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma have tested positive for Covid-19 just after experiencing mild symptoms, the presidency stated Monday.
“After experiencing mild symptoms that resemble… Covid-19, President al-Assad and first lady Asma Al-Assad took a PCR test, and the result showed that they are infected with the virus,” the presidency stated in a statement.
“They are in good health and their condition is stable,” it stated, adding that the couple will quarantine for up to 3 weeks.
Assad is 55 and his wife is 10 years his junior.
Their positive test benefits came more than a week just after Syria began vaccinating frontline well being workers employing jabs delivered from an unidentified “friendly state”.
The government has recorded 15,981 circumstances of Covid-19, such as 1,063 deaths in government-held locations.
In the Kurdish-held northeast, the Kurdish administration has announced a total 8,689 circumstances and 368 deaths.
In rebel-held northwest Syria, opposition officials have reported 21,209 circumstances, such as 632 deaths.
Members of the government are set to acquire jabs as element of the World Health Organisation’s Covax initiative by the finish of this month.
The WHO, the UN children’s agency UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance, stated they would assist Syria get jabs to cover initially at least 3 % of an estimated 20-million-robust population, and aim for 20 % by the finish of the year.
Syria has also authorised the use of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, according to its embassy in Moscow.
The conflict in Syria given that 2011 has killed more than 387,000 persons and ravaged a healthcare sector struggling to cope with a mass outflux of experts.
The well being ministry this month warned of a surge in infections, urging compliance with coronavirus measures.
Since the start off of the coronavirus outbreak final year, Damascus has struggled to enforce strict restrictions mainly because of a stringent financial crisis compounded by a devaluation of the regional currency on the black market place.
Markets and public transport have maintained their usual bustle regardless of the pandemic, with lots of even foregoing face masks.
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