The epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Libya during the ongoing-armed conflict

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 can have even more dire consequences in countries with ongoing armed conflict. Libya, the second largest African country, has been involved in a major conflict since 2011. This study analyzed the epidemiological situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Libya, examined the impact of the armed conflict in Libya on the spread of the pandemic, and proposes strategies for dealing with the pandemic during this conflict. Methods: We collected the available information on all COVID-19 cases in the different regions of Libya, covering the period from March 25 to May 25, 2020. The cumulative number of cases and the daily new cases are presented in a way to illustrate the patterns and trends of COVID-19 and the effect of the ongoing armed conflict was assessed regionally. Results: A total of 698 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Libya during a period of three months. The number of cases varied from one region to another and was affected by the fighting. The largest number of cases was reported in the southern part of the country, which has been severely affected by the conflict in comparison to the eastern and western parts of the country. Conclusion: This study describes the epidemiological pattern of COVID-19 in Libya and how it has been affected by the ongoing armed conflict. This conflict seems to have hindered access to populations and thereby masked the true dimensions of the pandemic. Hence, efforts should be combined to combat these consequences.

The impact of armed conflict on the epidemiological situation of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Libya, Syria, and Yemen

“…The copyright holder has placed this this version posted February 16, 2021. ; https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.12.21251654 doi: medRxiv preprint Our data indicate that the armed-conflict has masked the actual status of the epidemic at an early stage. This is in concordance with previous data published by Daw et al, which showed that the ongoing-armed armed conflict in these volatile regions has influenced the spread of the pandemic either by masking the actual prevalence in the armed controlling areas and accelerating the spread of the pandemic in the non-controlled region ( 23).…”