COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine


The COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed to have spread to the West Bank on 5 March 2020, beginning the COVID-19 pandemic in Palestine. The Palestinian health ministry said the cases had first been detected at a hotel in the Bethlehem area, where a group of Greek tourists had visited the hotel in late February, with two later diagnosed with the virus.
Israel confiscated tents, some destined for a field hospital for Khirbet Ibzik, in late March, and blocked the construction of another in an early phase of construction on private Palestinian land in Hebron, where the emergency is intense, on the grounds that it lacks an Israeli building permit. The senior United Nations official in the region told the Security Council in a 23 April videoconference meeting that Israelis and Palestinians are cooperating in unprecedented ways to deal with the pandemic but that Israel must do more to safeguard the health of all people under its control.
According to analysis by Haaretz as of 22 July 2020, there is concern that a combination of events may conspire to cause the situation to spin out of control. Following the severing of security coordination and civilian ties with Israel, Palestinians stopped coordinating the treatment of patients with Israel, stopped accepting mail and packages through Israeli ports and severed coordination with the IDF as well as with Shin Bet. Supervision of border crossings with Israel has also ceased. On top of this, the dispute with Israel over tax revenues is having a serious economic impact.
The first two cases in Gaza City, Gaza were diagnosed on 21 March and there are 7 active cases and one death as of 2 August 2020. The Hebron district is an epicenter and there are 4,215 active cases as of the same date, 68 persons having died.

Background

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019. The case fatality ratio for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS of 2003, but the transmission has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.

Outbreaks

Overall excluding East Jerusalem

Bethlehem

The city of Bethlehem became the first to experience an outbreak with confirmed cases in early March. The City of Bethlehem was locked down on March 7 as 16 cases of infection were found in the West Bank, including nine cases in Bethlehem.

Palestinian refugee camps

The crowded Palestinian refugee camps face a grave threat if coronavirus spreads. On April 22, a Palestinian from Syria became the first case reported in a refugee camp, located in the Wavel refugee camp in Bekaa, Lebanon. On April 24, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates confirmed 4 more cases in Al-Jalil refugee camp, raising the total to five.

Hebron district

A further 3 cases in the evening of 17 June 2020, raised the Hebron district total to 154. As of 18 June 2020, 178 is being reported. Figures rose to 235 as of 19 June 2020 and in the evening to 252 ). As of 20 June 2020, 284 was reported and in the evening to 356 ). As of 21 June 2020, 397 was reported. As of 22 June 2020, 475 was reported and in the evening to 549 ). As of 23 June 2020, 627 was reported. As of 24 June 2020, figures reported are 829. As of 25 June 2020, figures reported are 868. As of 26 June 2020, figures reported are 980. As of 27 June 2020, figures reported are 1036. As of 28 June 2020, figures reported are 1249. As of 29 June 2020, figures reported are 1411. As of 30 June 2020, reported cases are 1671.

July

As of 1 July 2020, cases reported were 1898. As of 2 July 2020, cases reported were 2146. As of 3 July 2020, cases reported were 2269. As of 4 July 2020, cases reported were 2673. As of 5 July, cases reported were 3247. As of 6 July 2020, cases reported were 3281. Daily reporting for 7 July 2020 has 3561 cases. Daily reporting for 8 July 2020 has 3877 cases. Daily reporting for 9 July 2020 has 4029 cases. Daily reporting for 10 July 2020 has 4292 cases. Daily reporting for 11 July 2020 has 4620 cases. Daily reporting for 12 July 2020 has 4786 cases. Daily reporting for 13 July 2020 has 4979 cases. Daily reporting for 14 July 2020 has 5138 cases. Daily reporting for 15 July 2020 has 5188 cases. Daily reporting for 16 July 2020 has 5370 cases. Daily reporting for 17 July 2020 has 5689 cases. Daily reporting for 18 July 2020 has 5888 cases. Daily reporting for 19 July 2020 has 6207 cases. Daily reporting for 20 July 2020 has 6349 cases. Daily reporting for 21 July 2020 has 6468 cases. Daily reporting for 22 July 2020 has 6622 cases. Daily reporting for 23 July 2020 has 6789 cases. Daily reporting for 24 July 2020 has 6895 cases. Daily reporting for 25 July 2020 has 6959 cases. Daily reporting for 26 July 2020 has 6999 cases. Daily reporting for 27 July 2020 has 7024 cases. Daily reporting for 28 July 2020 has 7204 cases. Daily reporting for 29 July 2020 has 7454 cases. Daily reporting for 30 July 2020 has 7640 cases. Daily reporting for 31 July 2020 has 7841 cases.

August

Daily reporting for 1 August 2020 has 8060 cases. Daily reporting for 2 August 2020 has 8088 cases.

East Jerusalem

According to WHO, cases from East Jerusalem are managed by the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network and hospitals in Israel and 10 testing centres were opened by Israeli health authorities in Shuafat, Shuafat refugee camp, Silwan, Sur Baher, Jabal Mukaber, Beit Safafa, and Jerusalem. EJHN includes six hospitals: Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital, Augusta Victoria Hospital, Palestine Red Crescent Society Hospital, St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group, Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre, and Saint Joseph Hospital. In September 2018 the U.S. cut $25 million in funding, representing 40% of costs for these hospitals.
Israeli officials have expressed concern that the virus might spread in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem that are part of municipal Jerusalem but on the far side of the West Bank barrier. Kafr Aqab, which has 60–70,000 residents, and Shuafat Refugee Camp with around 80,000 have not been receiving a sufficient level of services.
On 20 May 2020, it was announced that the European Union, Finland, and Italy are making a contribution totaling €17 million in support of the payment of medical referrals to East Jerusalem Hospitals.
On 17 June 2020, the EU and WHO delivered personal protective equipment and medical items to the EJHN. The delivery includes personal protective equipment and disinfectant items for all six of the network's hospitals including 56,000 pairs of gloves; 10,000 surgical gowns and 1,600 overall gowns and 2,050 shoe covers and 100 medical protective goggles; 6,000 N-95 masks and 115,000 surgical masks and 4,100 face shields; 6,300 bottles of alcogel; 120 thermometers and 200 bottles of alcohol for disinfectant plus disinfectant spray and wipes.
Between Monday, July 20 and Tuesday, July 21, 2020, East Jerusalem registered the highest number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Cases in East Jerusalem total 1,721, according to the Israeli Health Ministry and municipality. The IDF Home Front Command is in charge in East Jerusalem but since some residents go to Palestinian clinics for testing there is some uncertainty about total numbers.

July

As of 13 July 2020 there were 55 new cases for a total of 862, with 174 recoveries and 3 deaths for a total of 685 active cases.
As of 14 July 2020 there were 108 new cases for a total of 970, 793 active. As of 15 July 2020 there were 119 new cases for a total of 1089, 912 active. As of 16 July 2020 there were 115 new cases for a total of 1204, 1027 active. As of 17 July 2020 there were 87 new cases for a total of 1291, 1114 active. As of 18 July 2020 there were 92 new cases for a total of 1383, 1206 active. As of 19 July 2020 there were 120 new cases for a total of 1503, 1326 active. As of 20 July 2020 there were 101 new cases for a total of 1604, 1437 active. As of 21 July 2020 there were 91 new cases for a total of 1695, 1518 active. As of 22 July 2020 there were 186 new cases for a total of 1881, 1704 active. As of 23 July 2020 there were 250 new cases for a total of 2131, 1454 active. As of 24 July 2020 there were 188 new cases for a total of 2319, 1642 active. As of 25 July 2020 there were 170 new cases for a total of 2489, 1512 active. As of 26 July 2020 there were 167 new cases for a total of 2656, 1679 active. As of 27 July 2020 there were 180 new cases for a total of 2669, 1392 active. As of 28 July 2020 there were 164 new cases for a total of 3000, 1723 active. As of 29 July 2020 there were 174 new cases for a total of 3174, 1897 active. As of 30 July 2020 there were 116 new cases for a total of 3290, 2013 active. As of 31 July 2020 there were 105 new cases for a total of 3395, 2118 active.

August

As of 1 August 2020 there were 0 new cases reported and figures remained unchanged. As of 2 August 2020 there were 88 new cases reported for a total of 3483, 2206 active.

Breakdown by district

The table below shows the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Governorates of Palestine. Breakdown for recoveries may lag behind the main total figures reported.
GovernorateCasesDeathsRecoveriesActive Cases
Bethlehem Governorate6422348292
Gaza Strip751704
Hebron Governorate76406734874086
Jenin Governorate145143101
Jericho Governorate29001289
Jerusalem Governorate11475268874
Nablus Governorate4812214265
Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate7362280454
Salfit Governorate3301914
Tulkarm Governorate11204468
Qalqilya Governorate195142152
Tubas Governorate5201735
Total 11,548814,8336,634
East Jerusalem3290312742013
Total14,838846,1078,647

Timeline

March 2020

5 March:
7 March:
9 March:
13 March
14 March
16 March
18 March
19 March
20 March
21 March
22 March
23 March
24 March
.
25 March
is empty due to the mandatory quarantine in Palestine.
26 March
27 March
28 March
29 March
30 March
is empty due to the outbreak in Palestine.
31 March
1 April
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The FAE announced 500 cases and 23 deaths among Palestinians in the diaspora, including 349 cases and 15 deaths in the United States. The ministry noted that around 1,000 Palestinian doctors were participating in health efforts in Europe along with hundreds more in the US, Venezuela and Cuba among other states. Four doctors were declared dead after contracting coronavirus; one in New Jersey, two in Spain and one in Italy, while some 20 American doctors and paramedics tested positive for the virus in New Jersey.
The FAE updated to 678 cases and 30 deaths, 437 and 22 respectively being in the U.S., 3 in Spain and one each in Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Algeria and Sweden.
The FAE announced on April 23 the first death among the Palestinian community in the United Kingdom raising the number of diaspora Palestinians worldwide who died from the disease to 49. The overall number of cases among diaspora Palestinians rose to 1042 with the majority of cases and deaths being in the United States.
On May 4, the FAE confirmed cases and deaths among Palestinians in the diaspora have risen to 1,275 and 68 respectively with 512 recoveries.
On May 18, the FAE confirmed 1,573 cases and 85 deaths with 744 recoveries. As of June 2, there were 1,793 cases, 112 deaths and 946 recoveries, according to FAE. On June 17, 2020, FAE confirmed 30 new cases in the diaspora for a total of 2078 and two deaths for a total of 142. On 24 June 2020, the FAE confirmed 3,801 cases and 193 fatalities in the diaspora with 1,643 recoveries.