Internal displacement rising globally despite COVID-19 mobility restrictions: IOM

Grand-Saconnex [Switzerland], December 1 (ANI/Sputnik): Internal displacement is growing around the world despite COVID-19 mobility restrictions, triggered by such factors as natural disasters, military conflicts and violence, according to the World Migration Report 2022, published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Wednesday.
"We are witnessing a paradox not seen before in human history. While billions of people have been effectively grounded by COVID-19, tens of millions of others have been displaced within their own countries," IOM's Director General Antonio Vitorino said in a press release, commenting on the publication of the report.
According to the document, the number of people displaced within their own countries rose to 40.5 million in 2020 compared with 31.5 million in 2019. At the same time, the number of global air passengers decreased by 60% from 4.5 billion in 2019 to 1.8 billion in 2020.
COVID-19 has become the most severe pandemic in the 21st century due to its rapid transmission, emergence of new virus strains and high death toll. Governments' response to the pandemic ranged from an array of mobility limits, including stay-at-home requirements, restrictions on gatherings, public places closures, restrictions on both internal and international movement. (ANI/Sputnik)