Is Syria unable, or unwilling, to fend off Iran coronavirus contagion?

The UN special envoy for Syria has called for “a complete, immediate nationwide ceasefire to enable an all out-out effort to suppress COVID-19,” warning that Syrians are “acutely vulnerable” to the global pandemic. Geir Pedersen’s call on Tuesday followed the Syrian government’s announcement of its first case of novel coronavirus, a 20-year-old woman, who flew in from the UK and is currently undergoing treatment. But the greatest menace to Syria comes from Iran, which —alongside Italy, China and Spain — is among the worst hit by the disease and where the death toll stood at 2,077 as of Wednesday, according to Iranian officials. 

Syria reported four more COVID-19 cases Wednesday, for a total of five.

While the Syrian government has introduced a host of preventive measures, including the closure of most state institutions, schools, parks and restaurants — along with a freeze on conscription — it lacks the will and ability to deflect the threat from Iran. Analysts say this is because of its huge dependence on the Islamic Republic in its ongoing war against Sunni rebels, particularly in Idlib, where, despite recent setbacks, the radical al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continues to hold sway, albeit in shrinking space.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that Syria’s "fragile health systems may not have the capacity to detect and respond” to an outbreak. The UN body’s Syria representative, Nima Said, told the Rojava Information Center, a research group in Kurdish-controlled northeastern Syria, “The capacity of the health system to respond — and I am taking Syria as a whole here, whether in the south, north or northeast — during these nine years, the health system has suffered a lot. We assess the capacity of the health system to respond at 40%."