Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report 39

occupied Palestinian territory, issued 06 August 2020
Information for period: 5 March – 06 August 2020

Highlights

  • Number of people testing positive for COVID-19 continues to?increase?in the West Bank with an average of?367?new?cases per day since?August?1
  • Some movement restrictions?have been eased in?the West Bank?following?Eid al-Adha

Today, we launch a new?#WearAMask challenge!

By wearing a mask, you are sending a message of solidarity and protecting people, especially those most vulnerable, from COVID-19.

Take a photo or a video of yourself wearing a mask, share it and nominate friends to do the same.

Remember, masks alone will not stop the virus. We must?also:

  • Ensure?masks?covers?our?nose, mouth and chin
  • Keep physical distance
  • Clean hands
  • Keep away from big crowds
  • Cover mouth and nose when coughing

WHO preparedness, readiness and response

WHO is continuing to work with partners to support Ministry of Health¡¯s (MoH) efforts to respond to the COVID-19 situation.

Coordination,?planning?and monitoring
  • Following the activation of the logistics cluster?by?the humanitarian?coordinator,?WFP, WHO?and??humanitarian??partners continue efforts to address the clearance of humanitarian?shipments;?coordination of?access?for?medical referral patients from the Gaza Strip to?essential services outside?remains a concern,?following the suspension of bilateral agreements and coordination in?response to Israel¡¯s threatened annexation of parts of the occupied West?Bank
  • On August 5,?the?PA slightly eased restrictions?following?Eid al-Adha, allowing cafes, restaurants and sports clubs to open at 50% capacity; but weekend lockdowns remain, from 21:00 Thursday – Sunday mornings,?with movement?allowed from 07:00 ¨C 12:00 midnight?on other days. The ban on weddings, funerals and closures of function halls and large gatherings continues, as does the closure of affected areas,?villages and camps within cities
  • Upon the request of?the Humanitarian Coordinator,?an inter-cluster needs assessment?of?governmental isolation?centres?is planned. The objective is to assess the equipment and supply needs of these?centres?and what priority support the UN and clusters?will?mobilize.?Consultative meetings?with respective stakeholders?are foreseen, complemented?by?potential site visits.
Surveillance
  • The WHO risk assessment remains very high for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)
  • The number of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 continues to?rise
  • The total number of cases is?17,434?including?17,356?cases?in the West Bank?and?78?in the Gaza Strip
  • Since 1?August?(to?6 August?as of 14:00) the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) has averaged?367?cases per day, with?2,206?new cases and seven?fatalities
  • Most cases recorded are from Hebron (8,636), East Jerusalem (4,036),?Jerusalem (1,383), Ramallah (970),?Bethlehem (708),?Nablus (581),?Qalqilya (225), Jenin (197) and Tulkarm (126).?Only two?governorates (Salfit?and?Tubas) continue to record low case numbers.?A total of?215?health workers are among those confirmed cases
  • 12?patients are in a serious condition (ICU), with two?requiring mechanical ventilation (as of?6?August, 14:00)
  • To-date, the?Ministry of?Health (MoH) reported a total of?8,417?cases have recovered:?8,347?in?the West Bank (including 1,510?in East Jerusalem)?and?70?in Gaza.?Ninety-two?people?have died,?with?an?overall case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.53%
  • Less than half (45%) of all confirmed cases are male (6,045?cases) and about?57.5% of all cases (10,033?cases) are below the age of 50 years in the oPt, excluding East Jerusalem.
Laboratory diagnostics ?
  • A total of 207,726 laboratory samples have been tested for COVID-19 according to the?MoH, with 14,101 samples tested in the Gaza Strip.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Isolation and Case Management, Operations Support and Logistics?
  • 17,693?Palestinians are in quarantine (home or facility-based) to prevent further spread of the disease
  • In the Gaza Strip,?257?people are in one of?three?quarantine facilities which include health?facilities,?hotels or other designated buildings
  • WHO supported?MoH?assessment teams in conducting a review of essential practices, equipment and environment within?MoH?maternity and neonatal units, with a specific component on infection prevention and control measures?in light of?the COVID-19?pandemic.?A final report with results and hospital plans will be available mid-August.
East Jerusalem
  • As of August 5, there are 35 cases of COVID-19 cases in the East Jerusalem hospitals:?7 cases in Al-Makassed?Hospital, 28 cases in St Joseph Hospital and no cases at Augusta Victoria Hospital?(AVH). There are seven infected health?workers:?four from Al?Makassed?and?three from AVH.
Risk Communications and Community Engagement (RCCE)
Pictured are social media cards used in the RCCE COVID-19 campaign which promote wearing a mask while commuting (right) and how to return to school safely (left).??
  • RCCE continues in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases in the West Bank
  • ?cards, videos and messages and contact Alice Plate?at WHO Communications?to get involved in dissemination:?platea@who.int.
More local information


Document Type: Situation Report, Update
Document Sources: World Health Organization (WHO)
Subject: Health
Publication Date: 06/08/2020
URL source: