Coronavirus threatens lives of thousands of refugees in Lebanon

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian and Syrian refugees living in overcrowded, underserved refugee camps in Lebanon are facing the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the Lebanese authorities, so far only one Palestinian who does not live in a refugee camp has tested positive for the virus as well as three Syrians. The country has recorded 520 cases of COVID-19 in addition to 18 deaths related to the disease.

According to official estimates, at least 174,000 Palestinian refugees live in camps that, over the years, have turned into densely populated neighbourhoods. However, other estimates suggest that the actual number is as high as 500,000 persons.

Lebanese authorities estimate that 1.5 million Syrian refugees live in Lebanon, less than a million of them are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

READ: A Lebanese proposal in times of corona