Covid-19: in northern Jordan, a new meteoric epidemic
Audio 01:26
King Abdullah II of Jordan during the inauguration of a military field hospital dedicated to Covid-19 in the governorate of Irbid, in December 2020 © Yousef ALLAN / Jordanian Royal Palace / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Jordan faces its third wave of Covid-19.
In one week, the country recorded more than 28,000 cases of coronavirus contamination, a record since April.
A situation that worries local authorities, while the new Omicron variant has already been detected in several countries in the Middle East.
Advertising
Read more
Northern Jordan is particularly affected by this third wave of Covid.
It was already in this region that the largest clusters had been spotted at the start of the pandemic.
In this Irbid hospital, the number of intensive care patients greatly exceeds the national average.
A wave of contamination that Khatib, a resuscitator, did not imagine a few weeks ago:
The situation is difficult.
Currently, half of our beds are occupied by coronavirus patients.
A month ago, we were in the process of dismissing staff to the other hospitals.
But suddenly we had to get back to fighting this damn virus.
In the city, few inhabitants respect the barrier gestures.
What worries Dana, nurse in Irbid.
Within a month, two members of his family died from the coronavirus.
“
I'm really scared,
” she says.
There is no restriction.
Everything is open: establishments, businesses, schools.
This is why the contaminations and deaths linked to this third wave can only increase.
"
Authorities are asking Jordanians to limit their contacts to avoid further restrictions.
Containment would be fatal for the economy and little accepted by the population.
Moussa is a trader in the Irbid souk.
It would not survive a further closure.
“
If I have to close my shop,
” he said, “
I won't have any more money.
There is state aid, but it is minimal.
If the government helped me pay for food and drink, then there would be no problem, I would stay home.
But it is not and I cannot survive without buying water and electricity.
"
But the situation could get even worse with the arrival of the Omicron variant in the Middle East.
The kingdom announced on Sunday the implementation this winter of an emergency plan to curb contamination.
►Also listen: In Petra, tourism still slowed down after the pandemic
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Jordan
Coronavirus
Health and medicine