The UN refugee agency is warning that the humanitarian crisis in Libya is becoming even worse. Fighting has increased and Libya's healthcare system is ill-prepared to handle a coronavirus outbreak. At least one person in Libya has died of Covid-19 so far.
The UN agencies for refugees, migration, and human rights, and the World Health organization have released a statement, calling on countries worldwide to protect the rights and health of refugees, migrants and stateless people amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 28, seven refugees who live in Italy began managing the Instagram account of the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR in Italy to express solidarity with Italians who are fighting against the coronavirus epidemic.
Uganda had closed its borders to all new refugee arrivals to try to stop the spread of coronavirus. 14 confirmed cases of infection have been reported in the country.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has urged countries not to "close avenues to asylum" as part of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. He is worried that some countries could completely block the right to seek asylum.
Due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, UN refugee agency UNHCR has closed two of its facilities in the Libyan capital Tripoli until Tuesday, March 24. Hotlines for asylum seekers and refugees are still available, says UNHCR.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR have announced a temporary suspension of resettlement travel for refugees because of COVID-19.
In order to inform migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers about the coronavirus emergency in Italy, the Italian Recreation and Cultural Association and UN Refugee Agency have launched an online platform. They also started a free hotline that provides people with medical advice.
After nine years of tragedies, resilience and solidarity, the world must not forget displaced Syrians, said UNHCR, which emphasized that "the Syrian people continue to experience acute tragedy."
A UNHCR team has traveled to the Greek border to advise migrants and authorities on the prevention of the new coronavirus. No cases have been reported among migrants in Greece, but there are concerns it could spread fast in centers and camps.
The Greek government announced it would suspend asylum applications for one month on Sunday, March 1. It said it was invoking an emergency EU clause to do so; but suspending asylum has no basis in international law says the UNHCR.
Malta is experiencing a record number of migrant arrivals in 2020, as 883 people have already arrived in the first two months of the year. That figure is around 16 times higher than the number of arrivals in the same period in 2019.