Following the declaration of a global pandemic by WHO on 11 March 2020, UNHCR declared a Global Level 2 Emergency for the COVID-19 situation on 25 March 2020, activating emergency procurement procedures, simplified partner selection processes and giving country teams maximum flexibility in providing assistance.

While UNHCR is preparing and scaling-up its readiness and response in all countries with persons of concern (PoC), particular attention is given to situations where the pandemic is ‘an emergency on top of an emergency’; among them Bangladesh, DRC, Iraq, the Sahel, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and the Venezuela situation.

Nearly all countries have COVID-19 cases, including a small number of cases among persons of concern (PoC) to UNHCR but with no concentrated outbreak so far.

In a joint statement, UNHCR, IOM and UNICEF welcomed the first relocation of unaccompanied children from Greece as a strong message of European Solidarity.

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

To date, a total of 6.4 million masks, 850,000 gowns, 3,600 oxygen concentrators and 640 ventilators have been procured by UNHCR and delivered to 25 high priority countries to support UNHCR’s and partners’ COVID-19 response in these countries.

UNHCR issued a press release drawing attention to the heightened risk of gender-based violence for displaced and stateless women in the COVID-19 pandemic.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi calls for refugees to receive the rights they deserve during the COVID-19 pandemic on the WEF website.

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

Despite pandemic restrictions, people fleeing violence and persecution continue to seek asylum in Mexico.