COVID-19 epidemic in Libya

COVID-19 epidemic in Libya

Bredan, Amin
Bakoush, Omran

English

20210000

The first case of COVID-19 was identified in Libya on 24/3/2020, and about 2 months later, the number of reported COVID-19 cases started to increase notably. The outbreak was first prominent in the southern region (Sabha) and then spread to the western and eastern parts of Libya. By 24/12/2020, the reported total number of deaths from COVID-19 reached 1415. There seems to be no published data on the size of the epidemic in Libya. Here, we estimated the number of Libyans exposed to COVID-19 by using a COVID-19 mortality adjusted mathematical model for the spread of infectious diseases. We estimated that 14-20% of the Libyan population have been exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the risk of spread of COVID-19 infections during the coming months is high, and a considerable number of Libyans, particularly the elderly and people with chronic diseases, should be protected against COVID-19 infection. This is particularly urgent in the light of unofficial reports that the relevant healthcare facilities are under extreme stress.

9.1

9.1; 21.1

communicable diseases [pri]; epidemiology [pri]; trends [pri]; viruses [pri]

health care delivery; health facilities; mortality; public health

Libya

conflict setting; COVID-19; pandemic

Libyan Journal of Medicine. 2021; 16(1):1871798: 3 p.

Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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7 refs.

19932820 (print); 18196357 (online)