WHO: Tunisia Over Worst of Covid Wave

Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) receive treatment at the emergency department of Charles Nicole Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui
Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) receive treatment at the emergency department of Charles Nicole Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui
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WHO: Tunisia Over Worst of Covid Wave

Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) receive treatment at the emergency department of Charles Nicole Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui
Patients suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) receive treatment at the emergency department of Charles Nicole Hospital in Tunis, Tunisia July 13, 2021. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui

Tunisia -- which has seen the world's worst Covid-19 death toll -- may be over the peak of the latest wave but the government must still speed up inoculations, the WHO said on Monday.

"The epidemiological data are going in the right direction," World Health Organization representative in Tunisia Yves Souteyrand told a press conference.

"We have the feeling that the peak of the epidemic may have passed."

But with vaccines in short supply, overwhelmed hospitals, shortages of oxygen and the highly contagious Delta variant rampaging through the country's 12 million population mean the risk of a health disaster remains, the WHO warned.

The Delta variant was responsible for "more than 90 percent" of cases, and the impact of family gatherings during a recent religious holiday was hard to evaluate but could set back progress made, Souteyrand said.

"The challenge is to speed up the vaccination campaign," he said.

The country had "in 10 days received around seven million vaccine doses and will receive perhaps two or three million more" soon, he said.

The WHO has also provided 400 oxygen concentrators and four oxygen generators to Tunisia, where the government has been in crisis after President Kais Saied suspended parliament and took direct power.

Since the shock move late last month, Saied has established a coronavirus crisis unit, supervised by a high-level military official, to help manage the country's outbreak.

Souteyrand said that "relations between the WHO and the health ministry have not been affected by the political crisis".

The health ministry on Monday announced the start of a mobile vaccination campaign in several regions.

Authorities have also announced a vaccination drive across the country on Sunday for Tunisians aged over 40.

Over the past seven days, the North African country has registered the worst official Covid-19 mortality rate in the world, with 10.64 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, an AFP tally based on officially reported data shows.

On the other hand, Tunisia shares its coronavirus data more transparently than many other countries, the WHO said.



Israeli Military Recovers Body of a Hostage in Gaza, Is Examining Identity of a Second Body

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
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Israeli Military Recovers Body of a Hostage in Gaza, Is Examining Identity of a Second Body

Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)
Palestinians inspect damaged residential buildings where two Israeli hostages were reportedly held before being rescued during an operation by Israeli security forces in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Feb. 12, 2024. (AP)

The Israeli military said Wednesday that troops have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza and were examining whether another body recovered was also that of a captive.

Earlier, Israel's defense minister said that troops recovered the bodies of two hostages.

The military said the body of Yosef Al Zaydani was brought to Israel on Tuesday after being discovered in an underground tunnel near the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It said troops uncovered information about Al Zaydani's son Hamzah that "raised serious concerns for his life."

Military spokesman Col. Nadav Shoshani said the military was looking into the identity of a second set of remains recovered.

Al Zaydani and his son were taken captive during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023, among 250 hostages snatched by the group during its cross-border raid.

Israel believes a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead.

The body's recovery comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.

However, Yosef and Hamzah Al Zaydani were believed to still be alive and their return could ramp up the pressure on Israel to move ahead on a deal.

Yosef Al Zaydani's name was on a list of 34 hostages shared by a Hamas official with The Associated Press that the group said were slated for release.

Many families of hostages say the continuation of the war in Gaza puts the lives of the remaining hostages at risk. They have demanded throughout the conflict that Israel reaches a deal with Hamas to free their loved ones.