Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad tests positive for Covid-19
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma, have tested positive for Covid-19; the president’s office said in a statement Monday.
The president and his wife; Asma al-Assad; were tested for the coronavirus after they felt “mild symptoms,” according to the statement; which confirmed that the test came back positive.
“Both are in good health and in a stable condition, and they will continue to work during their home quarantine period that will last two or three weeks,” added the statement that was published on social media.
Assad joins a growing list of world leaders who have tested positive for the coronavirus, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and former President Donald Trump.
Syria has recorded at least 45,879 positive Covid-19 cases and 2,023 total deaths based on cumulative numbers of multiple local medical authorities, but a full picture of the outbreak in the country has been difficult to get.
Health and aid officials say it remains difficult to gauge the full size of the outbreak; given the lack of testing facilities in a fragile health system devastated by a decade of war.
The government denied undercounting the figures and has acknowledged in the last two months the country could be on the verge of a major spike. It has urged people to wear face masks, take sanitary measures and avoid crowded areas.
Officials and businessmen say the sanctions-hit government can ill afford a full lockdown; given the dire state of the economy and growing poverty.
Damascus received its first shipment of vaccines on March 1 from an unnamed “friendly” country; according to Syria’s state news agency. The name and quantities of the vaccines were not mentioned in the statement.
However, Other territories in Syria, including rebel-held and Kurdish-held locations, have not received vaccines yet.
The official statement released Monday did not say whether Assad and his wife have been vaccinated.
