Palestine Extends State of Emergency While Easing Lockdown
WEST BANK (Dispatches) – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has extended the state of emergency for 30 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus infections, Wafa news agency reported.
At the same time, the Palestinian government declared easing the lockdown.
Government spokesman, Ibrahim Milhem, announced that a daily follow-up committee including all ministries and security agencies will be in charge of combating the pandemic outbreak in their assigned fields.
This will be achieved by conducting field inspections and overseeing operations through special committees, he added.
As part of the easing of lockdown measures, cafes, restaurants, sports clubs and gyms are allowed to reopen at "50 percent operational capacity” in line with the Ministry of Health’s relevant protocols.
However, public events including weddings will remain banned, and areas severely hit by the pandemic will be isolated and monitored, stressed Milhem.
In addition, a total lockdown will be in place during weekends from Thursday 9:00pm to Sunday morning, with businesses operating during the week from 7:00am to 12:00pm.
According to the latest figure provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 604 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the past 24 hours, while a 57-year-old woman died of the disease in the southern West Bank district of al-Khalil.
In total, Palestine has registered 16,628 cases, of which 12,692 were found in the West Bank, 78 in the Gaza Strip and 3,858 in East al-Quds.
A total of 7,929 patients have recovered and the death toll reached 89, leaving a total of 8,610 active cases, said the ministry.
At the same time, the Palestinian government declared easing the lockdown.
Government spokesman, Ibrahim Milhem, announced that a daily follow-up committee including all ministries and security agencies will be in charge of combating the pandemic outbreak in their assigned fields.
This will be achieved by conducting field inspections and overseeing operations through special committees, he added.
As part of the easing of lockdown measures, cafes, restaurants, sports clubs and gyms are allowed to reopen at "50 percent operational capacity” in line with the Ministry of Health’s relevant protocols.
However, public events including weddings will remain banned, and areas severely hit by the pandemic will be isolated and monitored, stressed Milhem.
In addition, a total lockdown will be in place during weekends from Thursday 9:00pm to Sunday morning, with businesses operating during the week from 7:00am to 12:00pm.
According to the latest figure provided by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 604 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the past 24 hours, while a 57-year-old woman died of the disease in the southern West Bank district of al-Khalil.
In total, Palestine has registered 16,628 cases, of which 12,692 were found in the West Bank, 78 in the Gaza Strip and 3,858 in East al-Quds.
A total of 7,929 patients have recovered and the death toll reached 89, leaving a total of 8,610 active cases, said the ministry.