Saharawi authorities announced on 23 July the first four cases of covid-19 in the Saharawi refugee camps in Algeria. The camps are refuge for around 200.000 refugees who have lived in exile since Morocco illegally invaded their homeland in 1975. 

The Saharawi health ministry announced that one of the four cases is critical, while the three others have few or no symptoms. The cases were reported in the centrally located camp Boujdour, in the administrative hub Rabouni, as well in the very distant and isolated camp of Dakhla. 

“Our vulnerable situation means that we have to double our efforts in the time to come”, the Saharawi health minister wrote on Twitter yesterdy afternoon. 

The virus spread rapidly in the occupied terrtory end of June to beginning of July. At the same time, the prevalence increased in the Algerian region of Tindouf, where the Saharawi camps are located. No cases have so far been reported in the part of Western Sahara which is not under occupation. 

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