The number of COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh has more than doubled over the past two weeks to over 35,000. There are now 25 confirmed cases among refugees in Kutupalong camp. To respond, UNHCR opened two isolation and treatment facilities last week with a total of 200 beds. The total capacity provided by humanitarian actors will reach 1,100 beds by mid-June.

In a high-level event, UNHCR sought sustained support for Afghan refugees and refugee-hosting countries as support becomes even more urgent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and a deepening regional socio-economic crisis.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi concluded his visit to Syria and Jordan with a pledge to maintain assistance to the most vulnerable as the situation in Syria continues to be extremely difficult for Syrian and refugee populations. Following a recent spike in COVID-19 infections in Syria and Jordan, including the first six confirmed cases in Jordan’s two main Syrian refugee camps, UNHCR continues to ramp up measures to confront and contain the spread of COVID-19 among UNHCR’s persons of concern.

As part of the annual NGO consultations, UNHCR and some 100 NGOs called on global leaders to ensure that refugees are included in social safety nets and support services for COVID-19 and stressed the need for stronger integration of refugees and refugee-led organisations, their skills and knowledge, in humanitarian responses.

In a press release, UNHCR urged more support for refugee higher education to withstand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. UNHCR published its annual DAFI report on 28 September highlighting data on refugee tertiary enrolment.

In a key annual address to UNHCR’s annual Executive Committee meeting in Geneva, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Gillian Triggs, warned that COVID-19 is severely testing refugee protection.

In a joint press release, IOM and UNHCR chiefs stressed that COVID-19 underlines the urgent need for universal health coverage that includes migrants, refugees and internally displaced and stateless people.

On 14 January 2021, Jordan has become one of the world’s first countries to start COVID-19 vaccinations for refugees, and UNHCR has been working with the Jordanian government to vaccinate refugees and provide critical health, sanitation, hygiene and logistical support as well as personal protective equipment. UNHCR appeals to all countries to follow suit and include refugees in their national vaccination drives in line with COVAX allocation principles.

As of 22 April, according to WHO, more than 200 countries and territories have confirmed COVID-19 infections, including many fragile states. Thus far, no serious outbreak in a refugee or internally displaced people high-density camp/settlement has been reported

UNHCR calls for aid and access to social safety nets for refugees as COVID-19 causes severe hardship.