Syria’s Health Ministry has confirmed two of the country’s first coronavirus deaths in less than 24 hours.
A woman died on Sunday after being admitted to hospital, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
It reported the second death on Monday.
The number of cases of coronavirus in the country has increased to 10, but medics fear there are many more.
No official case has been confirmed in Syria’s Idlib province, the country’s last rebel stronghold, which has had increased bombardment from the Assad regime and its allies.
The regime has killed hundreds of civilians in Idlib city between two ceasefire deals agreed to on January 12 and March 6 by Russia and Turkey.
The UN says Syria is highly vulnerable to a major outbreak because of its fractured health system.
Only 64 per cent of public hospitals are fully functioning in the war-ravaged country, the World Health Organisation says.
Opponents of President Bashar Al Assad say a possible source of the outbreak is Iran, with which Syria has strong ties and which is the hardest-hit country in the Middle East.
Iran has more than 44,600 cases of the virus and at least 2,898 people have died.
Syria confirms its first case of coronavirus
Pilgrims who visit shrines in Syria and Iran-backed militias fighting alongside its army are thought to be transmitting the virus.
Mr Al Assad has also been accused by the media and some pro-regime figures of hiding the true number of coronavirus cases.
Senior Syrian army officers have in recent days taken leave of absence and been ordered not to mingle with the Iranian-backed militias, military defectors have told Reuters.
Last week, the Syrian government decided to impose a daily curfew between the Syrian governorates, between 6pm and 6am.
Several Syrian cities have had panic buying and residents reported food shortages that have pushed up prices since the curfew started.
The government has cancelled most flights, barred foreign nationals from entering and postponed events, to try to contain the virus.
