CONTEXT
The COVID-19 outbreak first reported in the People’s Republic of China in late 2019 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. More than a year later, as of 15 August, approximately 205,000,000 confirmed cases had been reported in 213 countries, areas or territories according to WHO and the neighboring country Dominican Republic already reported that 346,459 individuals tested positive to the virus with 3,985 who have died from the disease. On 20 March 2020, the first two cases were confirmed in Haïti and the country remains at high risk of rapid contagion given the weak health system, the proximity and porous border with the Dominican Republic. At present, 20,732 cases of infection, 583 deaths and 16,866 recoveries have been confirmed in Haïti.
IOM continues to adapt its ongoing Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) initiative along the Haïti–Dominican Republic border to support the ongoing preparedness and response. The Flow Monitoring initiative is currently being carried out in 20 Border Crossing Points between Haïti and the Dominican Republic: 16 unofficial points and 4 official points in collaboration with the Support Group for the Repatriated and Refugees (GARR in French).