A special out-patient infirmary aimed at the early detection of possible coronavirus cases among asylum seekers at the VIAL reception and identification centre (RIC) on Chios has started operations just outside the camp, it was announced on Wednesday.
The VIAL facility opened on Tuesday and a similar one also opened at the Vathy RIC on the island of Samos, as Greek authorities try to prevent a coronavirus outbreak in the country’s refugee and migrant camps.
It is noted that the infirmary outside the Moria migrant and refugee reception center on Lesvos opened last Saturday.
In the meantime, a Dutch physicians’ petition campaign is calling for the immediate evacuation of refugee camps on the Aegean islands to prevent a possible humanitarian catastrophe there.
When Corona reaches the Aegean refugee camps, we will have a humanitarian disaster on our hands. #SOSMoria is an emergency call by doctors Steven van de Vijver and Sanne van der Kooij, who worked in camp Moria on Lesbos.
SIGN their distress call: https://t.co/l99tuPhvF7 pic.twitter.com/kVVRNQqMqK
— Europe Must Act (@ActMust) March 29, 2020
The initiative, originally created by just two doctors, which they named #SOSMoria, has already received the support of more than 5,000 registered physicians from all over Europe, who are asking for the evacuation of Moria.
Erik Marquardt, a German MEP for the party of the Greens, has proposed different means of solving the issue, including floating hotels and cruise ships that could accommodate refugees and migrants in Germany, receiving thousands of them and easing the tremendous burden on Greece.
Im Interview mit @radioeins wurde ich gefragt, wie man die Katastrophe in den Lagern an der Außengrenze abwenden kann. Weil sich viele fragen, was die Regierungen tun können, hier ein Thread. Wir könnten sofort starten.#leavenoonebehind #lesbos #moria https://t.co/SPjAoyyNKR
— Erik Marquardt (@ErikMarquardt) March 26, 2020
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