Following the identification of what appear to be the first two coronavirus cases in the Gaza Strip – Palestinians in their 30s and 40s who had visited Pakistan and returned to Gaza via Egypt and the Rafah crossing – a World Health Organization official arrived in Gaza for a first-hand look at how the local health authorities are preparing to handle the arrival of the epidemic.
An outbreak of coronavirus in Gaza would lead to a "catastrophe," the WHO warned.
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A senior official in the Palestinian Ministry of Health told Israel Hayom on Sunday that there was "close cooperation with Israel in handling the corona epidemic."
"This cooperation is allowing us to send aid to Gaza, where they understand that we have common interests. The WHO is helping deliver testing kits and disinfectants from Israel to Gaza, but there is major concern that if the epidemic spreads and the shaky healthcare system in Gaza collapses, thousands [of Palestinians] will try to reach the Israeli border," the official said.
"We are working with the Palestinian security forces and the Israeli defense establishment to prepare for any scenario," the official added.
On Saturday evening, the Ministry of Health in Gaza convened a press conference to report that two corona patients were be treated at a field hospital at Rafah. Both patients had been in quarantine since entering the Gaza Strip, ministry representatives emphasized.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has also ordered all restaurants, cafes, and event venues to remain closed until further notice. Friday prayers at Gaza mosques have also been temporarily stopped.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, authorities in Ramallah have stepped up restrictions on movement for Palestinians. PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has signed off on a mandatory curfew to ensure that Palestinians do not leave their homes between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Only workers in vital sectors – healthcare and security – will be allowed to travel freely in the PA.
The regulations, which will be in effect for the next two weeks, also ban Israeli Arabs from entering the PA, and ban Palestinians from working in any Israeli settlements.
In addition, the Palestinian stock exchange said on Sunday it was shutting down until further notice to protect staff and prevent market volatility amid the spread of the coronavirus.
The Palestine Exchange is based in the West Bank, where authorities have confirmed 59 coronavirus cases.
Forty-eight companies are listed on the exchange, with a total market capitalization of about $3.8 billion.
