Doctors and aid workers say that the arrival of the Corona virus in Syria raises the possibility of a deadly epidemic among residents who have suffered the horrors of war for nine years, and that the devastation of hospitals and the accumulation of camps will likely help to spread the infection quickly.
On Sunday, the Syrian government announced the discovery of the first case of the virus after unconfirmed reports indicated that it had been previously monitored but was covered up, a charge officials denied, and imposed a set of strict measures in light of the spread of the disease in neighboring countries.
The World Health Organization and a group of paramedics said that there were no confirmed cases in northwestern Syria, which is under opposition control, but possible symptoms of the disease appeared on patients for weeks and that 300 devices to detect the virus would arrive within two days.
"All of the infrastructure and basic health services have been destroyed in a large part of the country ... and it is very likely that Syrians will be most vulnerable to the global spread of the virus," said Rachel Sider, counselor of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
"It is very clear that they are in no way ready for any outbreak" of the disease, she added.
In Damascus on Monday, large numbers of pedestrians were still on the streets, many of them wearing masks, despite restrictions such as the closure of schools and businesses, the ban on public transport and the suspension of flights.
On Saturday, the Army Command announced that it had equipped military hospitals and issued orders to reduce gatherings to the minimum possible.
The director of Damascus Hospital, Samer Khadr, said that all private and public hospitals across the country are ready according to a national plan to deal with the virus.
Residents say the prices of disinfectants and masks have risen sharply in the capital, which has seen strong demand for goods in recent days.
The head of a local non-governmental organization based in Damascus said that the capabilities of detecting cases are limited and that there is only one main laboratory for conducting virus tests so far.
He added, asking to hide his identity that some cases are being treated in military hospitals.
Despite the announcement of one case, a diplomat suggested that the virus would be more widespread than available information because of weak detection capabilities and the absence of transparency.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the government threatened doctors and asked them not to reveal the cases. "Doctors have been instructed to refer to suspected cases of coronary infection as acute pneumonia," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the observatory.
A UN source said that three Syrians in Beirut had tested positive for the virus at the weekend, and had arrived from Syria recently.
The Syrian government denied covering up any cases, although the close ties it has with Iran, the most affected country in the Middle East, have increased the possibility of the virus spreading.
Displaced Syrians live in crowded temporary camps, which worries medical workers that the disease will kill in large numbers.
The access of testing devices this week, although limited, will allow doctors to finally start detecting the virus. A few tests have been sent to Turkey for examination so far, but none have been confirmed positive.
"Many cases come to the facilities and hospitals and they have symptoms, but we do not have the ability to diagnose," said doctor Bashir Taj Al-Din, who works with the Syrian American Medical Association in Idlib.