Unicef ‘alarmed’ by surge of Covid-19 cases in Libya

The UN’s children agency Unicef says it’s “alarmed at the rapid spread” of coronavirus in Libya, where there has been “a 270% increase in cases in the west, 480% in the south and 50% in the east of the country.”

It also warns that the true number may be much higher than what has been recorded, because of an acute shortage and lack of capacity to carry out tests.

Official data shows that Libya has 220,000 Covid cases so far, with 6,061 cases recorded on Sunday – the highest daily rate since the beginning of the pandemic.

“The vaccination rate is very low, and the spread is fast.” Unicef’s Special Representative in Libya AbdulKadir Musse said.

The highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant is suspected to be among the strains that are circulating in the country

BBC/Olawunmi Sadiq