The Latest:
317,961 Palestinians have tested positive for COVID-19; 287,514 recoveries; 3,406 deaths
Of Palestinians who tested positive, 193,039 live in the West Bank, 96,081 live in the Gaza Strip, and 28,841 live in East Jerusalem
837,892 Israelis have tested positive for COVID-19; 829,696 recoveries; 6,346 deaths
Gaza’s hospitals are nearing capacity as a surge in coronavirus cases continued for another week, and the number of deaths has doubled from just seven days ago.
This current wave coincides with the Ramadan holiday, which began on April 13. The Muslim holy month is traditionally celebrated with evening family gatherings, crowded shopping sprees, and prayers in mosques. While health officials called for nighttime closures, the
Covid: Gaza gravediggers, medics stretched as cases spike in Ramadan
Reuters/Gaza
(Reuters file)
Amid growing concern, Hamas will on Thursday begin a week of nightly curfews.
The sick and dying are rapidly pushing Gaza s hospitals close to capacity amid a surge in Covid-19 cases in the impoverished Palestinian territory, health officials said.
Palestinians fear a combination of poverty, medical shortages, vaccine scepticism, poor Covid-19 data and mass gatherings during Ramadan could accelerate the increase, which began before the start of the holy month on April 13.
Gaza health officials said around 70 per cent of intensive care unit beds were occupied, up from 37 per cent at the end of March. There were 86 deaths over the past six days, an increase of 43 per cent over the week before.
Thursday, 22 April, 2021 - 11:30
Palestinian worker Mohammad al-Haresh, 30, digs a grave for a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) victim, at a cemetery, east of Gaza City April 20, 2021. Picture taken April 20, 2021. (Reuters) Asharq Al-Awsat
The sick and dying are rapidly pushing Gaza’s hospitals close to capacity amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the impoverished Palestinian territory, health officials said.
Palestinians fear a combination of poverty, medical shortages, vaccine skepticism, poor COVID-19 data and mass gatherings during Ramadan could accelerate the increase, which began before the start of the Muslim holy month on April 13.
Gaza health officials said around 70 percent of intensive care unit beds were occupied, up from 37 percent at the end of March. There were 86 deaths over the past six days, an increase of 43 percent over the week before.
Gaza: The sick and dying are rapidly pushing Gaza’s hospitals close to capacity amid a surge in COVID-19 cases in the impoverished Palestinian territory, health officials said.
Palestinians fear a combination of poverty, medical shortages, vaccine scepticism, poor COVID-19 data and mass gatherings during Ramadan could accelerate the increase, which began before the start of the Muslim holy month on April 13.
Gaza health officials said around 70% of intensive care unit beds were occupied, up from 37% at the end of March. There were 86 deaths over the past six days, an increase of 43% over the week before.
“The hospitals are almost at full capacity. They’re not quite there yet, but severe and critical cases have increased significantly in the last three weeks, which is a concern,” said Dr Ayadil Saparbekov, head of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Team in the Palestinian Territories.