Libyans say war's keeping COVID-19 at bay

While the new coronavirus outbreak has been steadily gaining ground with more than 100 countries already affected, many Libyans believe that isolation of their war-torn country could alleviate the threat.

Badreddine al-Najjar is president at the Libya centre for disease control.

“For time being, there are no cases of coronavirus registered in Libya. Through our presence in the airport terminals, the national centre for disease control is still supervising the passengers. We transform and develop our situation using fixed thermal surveillance cameras at the crossings in Ras Ajdir and Wazin [near the border with Tunisia], and at the terminal in Misrata”, al-Najjar said.

As Libyans live on the edge they believe vigilance is required.

“Certainly, given the difficult financial circumstances, power cuts, clashes and war, this is not the right time to have a coronavirus, which can spread very quickly because of the embargoes on Libya. If we find a coronavirus in Libya, God forbid, the stopping and resisting will be very complicated in Libya”, Abdul Salam al-Sufi a Tripoli resident said.

Libya is already reeling under a lot of pressure and the consequences of COVID-19 epidemic could be devastating.

AFP