80% of protection clusters (21 out of 26) report escalating conflict and/or political instability since the outbreak of COVID-19. This is undermining efforts to curb the spread of the virus, triggering new displacements, reducing safe access to vital health and sanitation services and impeding life-saving protection and humanitarian services.

A new report released by the Norwegian Refugee Council and UNHCR-led Global Protection Cluster (GPC) finds that nearly 40 million people are at heightened risk of violence, discrimination and rights abuses as COVID-19 spawns a ‘coping crisis’.

A series of fires at the Reception and Identification Centre in Moria (Lesvos, Greece) on 8-10 September left 12,000 asylum-seekers and refugees without shelter. UNHCR is supporting the government-led response by scaling up immediate support to this urgent crisis and is seeking to mobilize additional resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through adequate health and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) capacity.

A tripartite agreement between the African Development Bank (AfDB), UNHCR and the G5 Sahel was signed on 23 July that provides a critical USD 20 million in funding to COVID-19 response across the five countries of the Sahel region to support COVID-19 awareness campaigns, strengthen health infrastructure, epidemiological surveillance and case management. It will also allow procurement of essential medical supplies and equipment for the prevention, control and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

After a seven-month suspension due to COVID-19, UNHCR's life-saving flights from Libya have resumed. A group of 153 vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers have been evacuated from Libya to the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) in Niger.

After the deadly and devastating blast in Beirut on 4 August, UNHCR rushes to support the government-led response. The list of more than 200 fatalities also includes at least 34 reported refugee victims so far. The massive explosion adds to the already severe economic crisis that had pushed many Lebanese and refugees deeper into poverty, further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As countries all over the world battle a second wave of the pandemic, UNHCR is highlighting with a new data visualization tool how acutely vulnerable forcibly displaced populations must contend with extreme overcrowding and limited access to basics such as soap and water. [Link to the data visualization tool: https://arcg.is/ObLOL]

As of 10 May, over 3.8 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, with the United States and European countries most affected. Several country operations have reported cases of COVID-19 among persons of concern, but so far, the number of cases remains low with no reported sustained transmission in high-density refugee or internally displaced areas.

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

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.