The Latest:
293,137 Palestinians tested positive for COVID-19; 258,046 recoveries; 3,076 deaths
Of Palestinian who tested positive, 185,415 live in the West Bank, 78,980 live in the Gaza Strip, and 28,742 live in East Jerusalem
835,674 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19; 825,195 recoveries; 6,280 deaths
For the second week in a row, confirmed cases of COVID-19 doubled in Gaza as the third wave continues to strap Palestinian medical systems. In the West Bank, for a fifth week in a row hospitals are overwhelmed, with ICUs at 100% capacity, according to the WHO’s latest situation report.
The big picture: In Gaza, hospital and ICU capacity is still around 36%, but that number could rapidly change if new lockdown measures do not slow the spread. Over the last week, the coastal enclave experienced an 86% jump in new COVID-19 cases and a 44% increase in ICU patients. Meaning, the third wave has already pushed the West Bank’s medical system to its limit, and Gaza could short