Water flow to Hasekah region is still cut.

Yesterday, two engineers travelling with a Russian Military Police escort attempted to reach the station to restore flow, but were denied access by Turkish-controlled forces, who claimed they were scared of contracting corona. https://twitter.com/RojavaIC/status/1241710666966327297

[FACT CHECK]

Reports Allouk water station is operating are false.

The station was turned on for an hour yesterday by engineers with Russian supervision, but soon closed again.

Turkey continues to refuse water to 460,000+ people at risk of coronavirus. http://www.almayadeen.net/news/politics/1388189/%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%B4%D9%82--%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%A9--%D8%AC%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A8

There has been confusion over the number of ventilators in North and East Syria.

There are 10 ventilators in those hospitals which INGOs are prepared to use - but they do not recognize AANES-run sites.

Across NE Syria as a whole, there are 40 ventilators - still far too few.

A new report from @LSE_CCS warns Syria can only handle:

max. 6,500 coronavirus cases

360 in Hasekah

100 in Raqqa

0 in Deir-ez-Zor

"The emergency response in NE Syria is implemented by an under-staffed, under-funded, quasi-state local health structure," they add.

The report from @LSE_CCS' Conflict Research Program finds:

4 million people in NE Syria

600,000 IDPs, of which 100,000 in camps

9 of 11 public hospitals damaged during the war

Just 36 ICU beds across NE Syria, none in Deir-ez-Zor or Hol Camp

They conclude:

"Due to conflict with Turkey, the closure of the Iraqi border & isolation from NWS, controlled by Turkish-backed armed groups, NES can either wait for a nonresponsive @WHO or rely on the Syrian govt., which exploits the few available resources for its own political gains."

Today at noon, five shells fired by Turkish-backed forces struck downtown Tel Rifaat, populated primarily by Kurdish IDPs who fled Turkey's invasion of Afrin.

A water pipe feeding the city was struck, leaving 25,000 people without drinking water. 2 civilians were also injured.

There is already a high coronavirus risk in Tel Rifaat-Shebha region, where 200,000 IDPs have access to just one makeshift hospital and 3 ventilators.

Sources in the city say shells were deliberately fired at busy streets during the window allowed for shopping during quarantine.