BEIRUT Some 74 million people in the water-scarce Arab region are at greater risk of catching the novel coronavirus because they lack a sink or soap at home, the United Nations said Wednesday. This includes 31 million people in Sudan, more than 14 million in war-torn Yemen and 9.9 million in Egypt, a UN report said. “While it has been agreed worldwide that handwashing with soap and water is the best prevention against COVID-19 contagion, this simple act proves to be difficult in a region where 74 million people lack access to a basic hand-washing facility,” the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia said. “Refugees and people living in conflict areas or under occupation bear an additional burden,” it added. An estimated 26 million refugees and displaced people are at greater risk of contracting the illness region-wide, as they lack adequate access to water and hygiene services, ESCWA said. “It is urgent to ensure access to clean water and sanitation services to everyone everywhere, at no cost for those who cannot afford it, in order to avoid further spread of the coronavirus,” ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti said. About 87 million people in the region also lack access to drinking water at home, forcing them to collect it from a public source and similarly threatening their health, the UN agency warned. In a region where 10 out of 22 countries have insufficient piped water supply, more hand-w ashing was likely to increase household demand by four million to five million cubic metres, it said. Moreover, companies like Uber and automobile brand Fiat Chrysler have urged their customers to stay away from their products, in order to keep themselves safe during the pandemic. According to a business news report published by CNN, these aforementioned companies are taking an unusual tack in their ads during the coronavirus – recommending people not to use their products. A recent 60-second television ad from Uber shows a montage of scenes of people quarantining at home. “Stay home for everyone who can’t,” the commercial says at the end. “Thank you for not riding with Uber.” It’s not uncanny for companies to run ads that try to tap into a national mood during a time of crisis and tragedy, said Joseph Turow, professor at Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, adding that the Uber ad stands unique as it actually urges people not to use the product – which is totally contrary to its business tactics.—AP
