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Serbia + 13 more

UNHCR Serbia Update, 5 - 18 February 2018

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  • Hungarian authorities admitted 23 asylum-seekers from Serbia into asylum procedures at its socalled “transit zones”, compared to 39 in the preceding two weeks.

  • The overall number of new refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants remained stable with 3,963 counted in Serbia on 18 February. 94% (or 3,718) were accommodated in 18 governmental centres (see also the January Update of Joint Assessment of Government Centres). As fewer number of refugees/migrant men sleeping rough in Belgrade City centre were noted, some 150 were observed sleeping rough near the border to Croatia and Hungary

  • UNHCR and partners assisted 126 new arrivals (compared to 135 the preceding two weeks). 42% arrived from Bulgaria, 36% from fYRoM, and 17% by air. Most were from Iraq (36%), followed by Iran (18%), Syria (16%), Pakistan (16%) or Afghanistan (13%). 70% were men, 13% women and 17% children. While Iranians continue arriving by air, most Syrians and Pakistani arrived via fYRo Macedonia (below chart reflects arrivals in 2018 by transit country).

  • Two cases of measles among the refugee/migrant population were confirmed by medical authorities, including a 17 year old boy in a government centre and a 26 year old man who squatted near Sid. Both were hospitalised while responsible medical institutions are looking into adequate preventative measures, including the vaccination of refugee/migrant children who have not yet been vaccinated.

  • Illustrating the risks of irregular movements, 11 men from Algeria and Morocco, had to be hospitalised on 14 February. They were found in Sid train station with severe symptoms of poisoning after inhaling fumes from pesticides in train wagons in which they had hidden, trying to enter Croatia.