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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/14/world/middleeast/iraq-coronavirus-stigma-quarantine.html
Stigma Hampers Iraqi Efforts to Fight the Coronavirus
(New York Times) Alissa J. Rubin - In Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries, one of the biggest obstacles for public health officials is the stigma associated with the coronavirus and quarantine. It runs so deep that people avoid being tested, prevent family members who want tests from having them, and delay seeking medical help until they are catastrophically ill. "Some believe the virus means that God is displeased with them, or maybe it is a punishment for a sin so they don't want others to see that they are sick," said Dr. Emad Abdul Razzak, a consultant psychiatrist at Iraq's Health Ministry.