In the desert region of Shehba live 90,000 original inhabitants and about 140,000 displaced people from Afrin. It borders on the areas occupied by Turkey and its militias and is repeatedly the target of artillery fire. The region is also acutely affected by the risk of COVID-19 pandemic. The autonomous administration, the local government and the health committee of Shehba are doing everything in their power to prevent the spread of the pandemic. After the closure of schools and public facilities, all areas are being disinfected.

Even though the Syrian regime has not yet issued a statement on the pandemic, reports of COVID-19 cases in Latakia, Aleppo and Damascus are putting people in fear. The internally displaced persons from Afrin, who live in difficult conditions in the region, are particularly threatened. The co-mayor of the Shehba Municipality, Melek Huseyin, reports that no cases have yet been detected in the region; health committees, communes and councils are active and taking precautions against the virus. Information events are being organised and people are warned through television programmes, brochures and leaflets.

The co-mayor reports on a cleaning campaign in three phases;

The first phase is the cleaning of outside areas and disinfection of all facilities, schools, shops and restaurants.

The second phase will involve the disinfection of all houses, streets, rubbish dumps, the sewage system and mosques.

In the third phase, all streets will be steamed with disinfectant.

The work is to be carried out every 15 days for the next six months.

The co-mayor concludes with the warning: "As you know, Shehba has been a war zone. For this reason, most of the houses have been destroyed, which is not good for health."