The arrival of the novel COVID-19 pandemic to the Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees in northern Jordan has added another layer of difficulty to the conditions of vulnerable refugees struggling for years away from home. Zaatari camp, established in 2012, is now home to around 76,000 Syrian refugees who fled the violence in their country seeking safety and security in neighbouring Jordan.

One month after the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Zaatari camp last September, and given the nature of the rapid spread of epidemics inside camps, MSF has intervened by opening a dedicated COVID-19 treatment centre - in collaboration with the Directorate of Health in Mafraq governorate, UNHCR and other actors in the camp. The facility provides medical care for Syrian refugees experiencing mild or moderate symptoms of the COVID-19 virus, while patients in severe or critical condition are referred to national hospitals for further care.