Tunisia Reports Zero COVID-19 Cases for 8th Successive Day

Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
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Tunisia Reports Zero COVID-19 Cases for 8th Successive Day

Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)
Tunisians wearing protective masks in Tunis, Tunisia (File photo: AFP)

The Tunisian Ministry of Health announced that the country did not record any new coronavirus cases for the eighth day in a row, which confirms the success of the government plan to limit the spread of the pandemic.

The Ministry stated that the total number of confirmed cases in the country is 49, all of whom who are under medical supervision, with over 989 recoveries.

The director-general of the National Observatory of New and Emerging Diseases, Nissaf Ben Alaya, announced that for over 40 days, 15 of the 24 Tunisian states did not record any COVID-19 cases, while five other states did not report any local cases for over 37 days.

Also, four states including Tunisia, Gafsa, Qibili, and Mahdia, did not report new cases for over 20 days, which confirms the great success in controlling the pandemic, according to Ben Alaya.

She also said that for three consecutive weeks, the virus has not been transmitted over the Tunisian territory. She announced that the next stage of maintaining Tunisia’s health security is considered more difficult than the previous stage of containing the virus.

However, Ben Alaya warned that the virus could return if Tunisians did not respect the recommended health measures, including maintaining social distance and wearing masks in closed areas.

She emphasized that the National Anti-Coronavirus Committee identified several scenarios that include easing lockdown restrictions and measures if the number of cases decreased globally. It also calls for several preventive measures for arrivals from countries with a high number of cases.

Earlier, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) announced Tunisia as a "safe tourist destination" during the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNWTO said Tunisia has developed a health protocol to guarantee a safe environment for travelers and workers in the tourism sector.

Tunisia announced it is ready to resume tourism safely and will be reopening its borders on June 27 and welcome international tourists as of July.

The third phase of the country’s efforts to lift its coronavirus lockdown began on June 4, and inter-city and regional travel has already resumed in full.



Over 50,000 Have Fled Lebanon for Syria Amid Israeli Strikes, Says UN

Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
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Over 50,000 Have Fled Lebanon for Syria Amid Israeli Strikes, Says UN

Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo
Syrians, who were living in Lebanon and returned to Syria due to ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, carry belongings at the Syrian-Lebanese border, in Jdaydet Yabous, Syria, September 25, 2024. REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar/File Photo

The UN refugee chief said Saturday that more than 50,000 people had fled to Syria amid escalating Israeli air strikes on Lebanon.

"More than 50,000 Lebanese and Syrians living in Lebanon have now crossed into Syria fleeing Israeli air strikes," Filippo Grandi said on X.

He added that "well over 200,000 people are displaced inside Lebanon".

A UNHCR spokesman said the total number of displaced in Lebanon had reached 211,319, including 118,000 just since Israel dramatically ramped up its air strikes on Monday, AFP reported.

The remainder had fled their homes since Hezbollah militants in Lebanon began low-intensity cross-border attacks a day after its Palestinian ally Hamas staged its unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel has shifted the focus of its operation from Gaza to Lebanon, where heavy bombing has killed more than 700 people, according to Lebanon's health ministry, as cross-border exchanges escalated over the past week.

Most of those Lebanese deaths came on Monday, the deadliest day of violence since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war.

"Relief operations are underway, including by UNHCR, to help all those in need, in coordination with both governments," Grandi said.