The coronavirus pandemic came to the Middle East in February with reports of its spread in Iran. By early March it was reported in numerous countries, but levels remained relatively low for several weeks. Now, like most of the world, the region is suffering from thousands of new cases a day. However, responses to the pandemic range from lockdowns of the sort we have seen in the United Kingdom to more laissez-faire approaches. Responses are hampered by civil wars, terror threats, insurgencies and weakened states that don’t always control their whole country.
