Pandemic Amid an Economic Crisis: Challenges for Syria

... (fewer than 6,000), the proportion of infected individuals in the population (0.03%) or the country’s 129th place in the world ranking (see the table compiled by the author based on data for 18 and 23 October 2020, taken from coronavirus-control.ru ): COVID-19 in Syria and Neighbouring Countries The good indicators are partly explained by the fact that wartime Syria under sanctions has been a closed country compared to the more open Israel, Lebanon and Turkey, this reducing the objective risk of infection. Even after Damascus International Airport (which had not functioned since March) was opened on October 1, 2020, the number of scheduled flights remained small compared to Beirut Airport,...