The significant rise in COVID-19 cases in the Kairouan region of central Tunisia has prompted residents to issue distress calls requesting military intervention to enforce preventive measures. The province has been in a severe crisis for at least two weeks due to the increasing spread of the virus. Mohamed Ruis, the regional health director in Kairouan, confirmed that the positivity rate among all tests conducted has reached 50%.
Additionally, the governor of Kairouan, Mohamed Bourguiba, emphasized that the epidemiological situation in the province is very dangerous, noting that the number of patients exceeds the hospitals' capacity. For example, Ibn al-Jazaar Hospital in Kairouan is currently experiencing a catastrophic health situation, having reached its maximum patient intake capacity for COVID-19.
Social media users in Tunisia have circulated shocking images of the hospital and its patients, describing the situation as inhumane and expressing fears of a scenario similar to that of India. The occupancy rate of ICU beds in the COVID unit has reached 100%, following a surge in infections in recent days.
The Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union, Noureddine Tabboubi, considered the developments in Kairouan due to the pandemic, coupled with paused development and investment, rising unemployment, poverty, and increasing suicide rates, as "a humanitarian crime."
