Libya’s National Center for Disease Control launched the national campaign for community awareness to contain the spread of the coronavirus, as part of the center's plan for the fourth stage since the emergence of the pandemic in the country.
The Director of the National Center, Badreddine al-Najjar, announced in a press conference that the campaign that was launched from the municipalities of Tripoli aims to raise awareness among citizens over the risks that could result from the outbreak.
Libya is approaching its 18,000 COVID-19 cases, however, Najjar said it was possible to fix the situation and contain the pandemic in the country if everyone plays their role.
He said if efforts were united and everyone adhered to the precautionary measures, the epidemiological situation can be controlled.
The national campaign involves the municipalities of greater Tripoli, the Security Directorate of Tripoli, the General Authority for Endowments, the Scouts and Girl Guides Commission, the Commission for Civil Society Institutions, the UNICEF, and the International Organization for Migration, Najjar noted.
The center stated that 2,081 persons recovered and the death toll rose to 285.
Tripoli tops the list with 313 cases, and Misrata with 64 cases, but according to health authorities and official data, the number of infections has increased in cities and towns.
Authorities fear a surge in cases especially with the resumption of education, after baccalaureate students returned to classes on August 31, following 5 months of suspension due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced the completion of the sterilization of 39 Libyan schools in a move to protect both students and educational staff from the coronavirus.
UNICEF said that the second phase of the Japan-funded project is aimed at targeting 163 further schools in the west of the country, to be achieved in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
Also, Benghazi Medical Center announced that doctors, nurses, and medical staff are being attacked by families of infected persons.
The Doctors Syndicate in Benghazi said that doctors are frustrated by the attacks and social media campaigns that deny their efforts in combating the virus, adding that many medical workers are subjected to physical and verbal abuse.
The Syndicate asserted that the doctors continue to treat patients especially as numbers doubled in light of the spread of the virus and the weakness of the health system in the country.
It called on state agencies to protect doctors and other hospital workers, and maintain medical devices and equipment from sabotage and destruction.
