When Coronavirus Hits Refugee Camps

Minors make up at least 60 per cent of the Rohingya refugees who have crossed the border to Bangladesh. Highly traumatized, they are arriving malnourished and injured after walking for days. Photo: UNICEF/Brown

As I record this, the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak is poised to become a global pandemic. Each day brings reports of new cases in new locations around the world. 

So far, COVID-19 has mostly impacted countries with decently functioning health care systems. However, a great worry that has been repeatedly expressed by experts, and from the World Health Organization, is what happens should we see clusters of cases where there is no good health system. This includes poorer countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and also, populations in the midst of some humanitarian crisis. 

To help us understand the potential impact of this coronavirus outbreak on vulnerable populations around the world is Dr. Paul B. Spiegel. He is the director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at the Jo…