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Schools Reopen in Iraqi Kurdistan Region Despite COVID-19 Outbreak

Security agents wearing masks in Sulaimaniya, Iraqi Kurdistan (Reuters)
Security agents wearing masks in Sulaimaniya, Iraqi Kurdistan (Reuters)
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Schools Reopen in Iraqi Kurdistan Region Despite COVID-19 Outbreak

Security agents wearing masks in Sulaimaniya, Iraqi Kurdistan (Reuters)
Security agents wearing masks in Sulaimaniya, Iraqi Kurdistan (Reuters)

The Supreme Committee to confront the coronavirus in Iraq's Kurdistan region convened on Wednesday to assess the overall health situation and the spread of COVID-19 in the area, during which it decided on a set of measures to resume the academic year.

Following the meeting, the spokesman for Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Jutyar Adel, held a joint press conference with the education and health ministers.

Adel said that the committee approved a set of new precautions to confront the virus, including the opening of four border crossings in Bashmaq, Parvez Khan, Ibrahim Khalil and Haji Omeran, given that the health measures are followed, and people are tested on arrival. He also indicated that citizens who do not abide by preventive measures and wear masks will be subject to penalties.

For his part, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Aram Mohammad, said that e-learning will continue for university students, however he noted that exams will be held on campus.

He stressed that students must adhere to precautionary measures, stressing that the academic year will not be postponed.

Also, the Minister of Education, Alan Saeed, said that the school year will continue as previously announced for the primary and secondary schools. He said that students of grades one, two, and twelve will be attending classes while the rest will study online.

The Ministry of Health said it registered 912 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, in addition to 20 deaths.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Pulmonologist and doctor of internal medicine Dr. Ali Barzanji said that the right measures to prevent and confront the virus are those announced by the World Health Organization (WHO).

He stressed that the validity of these precautions depends on seasonal changes and citizens’ commitment to the measures, adding that full lockdown is the best solution to prevent the spread of the virus.

However, he noted that lockdown can’t be applied for long periods due to economic and social challenges.

"Authorities should rely on the citizens and their commitment to the precautions", according to the expert.

Barzanji warned that an increased number of cases in hospitals and private clinics reveal that there is a second wave of infections, but the official figures are yet to be announced by the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, Epidemiologist Dr. Khalil Salim said that lockdowns are not a proper solution to confront the second wave of the virus.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Salim said being ready for a second wave requires preparing the health teams and facilities to confront the surge in cases.

He noted that lockdowns enforced in many countries at the beginning of the first wave aimed to help authorities prepare their medical teams to confront the outbreak.

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Arab World

Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)

A comparison of the current human and material losses from the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel conflict with those from the July 2006 war shows that current losses have doubled.

Experts warn that the reconstruction funds and aid pledged to Lebanon 18 years ago may have limited impact once the war ends.

Total Losses

Mohammad Shamseddine, a researcher from Information International, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the death toll has risen from 900 in 2006 to 2,865 in the current conflict (as of October 31, 2024), with the number increasing daily. The number of wounded was 4,000 in 2006, but it has now exceeded 13,047.

In 2006, 600,000 people were displaced, while today that number has surpassed 1.2 million. Of these, 189,174 are in shelters. A total of 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese have fled to Syria, and 120,000 have sought refuge in other countries.

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam estimated that Lebanon’s total economic losses from the current conflict have reached $20 billion. However, economic associations report direct losses between $10 billion and $12 billion, covering damage to key sectors, homes, buildings, and infrastructure.

These figures align with estimates from Shamseddine, who believes direct and indirect losses are around $10 billion.

Of this, $4 billion occurred from October 8, 2023, to September 17, 2024 (when the conflict was mostly limited to the south), and $7 billion from September 17 to October 31, 2024, after Israel expanded the war. For comparison, losses during the 2006 war totaled $5.3 billion.

In 2006, infrastructure damage was valued at $900 million, higher than the current war's $570 million in infrastructure losses.

Housing losses in 2006 totaled $2.2 billion, while they have now surpassed $4.26 billion. Mohammad Shamseddine points out that commercial losses were similar in both conflicts, at $4.7 million.

Agricultural and environmental losses in 2006 were $450 million, but now exceed $900 million. Indirect economic damages were $1.2 billion in 2006, while they have now surpassed $3.38 billion.

One notable difference is the number of airstrikes: from October 8, 2023, to October 31, 2024, there were 11,647, compared to just 3,670 during the 33-day 2006 war.