A Palestinian girl walks in a street at Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on November 26, 2020. (Photo: Ashraf Amra/APA Images)
The Latest:
- 93,400 Palestinians tested positive for COVID-19; 74,189 recoveries; 776 deaths
- Of those who tested positive, 62,096 live in the West Bank; 12,971 live in East Jerusalem; 18,333 live in Gaza
- 321,346 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19; 320,821 recoveries; 2,839 deaths
Palestinians recorded 891 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the highest number of new infections in a 24-hour period to date, as health officials struggle to contain a surge in spread over the last month.
We had seen in the late summer and early fall a higher recovery rate than a rate of new infections, meaning the overall curve was down. This trend reversed around mid-September and continues to reach new peaks each week, with the last week having the most dramatic uptick of the entire pandemic.
In the seven-day period between Thursday, November 19th and yesterday, there was a 66% increase in confirmed cases and a 57% increase in deaths, the WHO reported in their latest situation report. Bear in mind, this came in conjunction with a ramp up in testing, a 36% increase over the course of a week.
As of now there are now 57 patients in critical care in the West Bank and 25 in Gaza. The overall fatality rate is still .8%, which has remained the same since March when the pandemic first struck the region.
WHO warned on November 26th, “While the health system at this stage can cope with the increasing number of people requiring treatment for COVID-19, there is a mounting risk that the health system may reach its capacity limits and get overwhelmed.”
On Monday the Guardian reported Gaza had around a week and a half before the hospital would no longer be able to cope with the influx of new patients. Abdelraouf Elmanama, a microbiologist on the local COVID-19 task force told the newspaper, “In 10 days the health system will become unable to absorb such a hike in cases and there might be cases that will not find a place at intensive care units.”
Gaza’s overall hospital beds at COVID-19 treating facilities are already at 61%, or 307 beds.
Lockdown fatigue
This week our correspondent Yumna Patel reported on the malaise felt across the West Bank as a rush of new cases spread:
“Palestinians, like many other people around the globe, have largely settled into a new reality, accepting COVID-19 as an unfortunate reality, but a reality they must live with nonetheless. For months, restaurants have remained open, gyms and salons as well, and school and government offices have tried to stay up and running as consistently as they can.”
Beginning today, the West Bank will undergo another lockdown that will limit movement between cities and shut down most businesses, excluding essential services.
“During the week, from Sunday – Thursday, the government will be enforcing a curfew from 7p.m.-6a.m., in an effort to reduce heavy traffic to restaurants, shops, gyms, and event halls that typically occurs at night. Schools, offices, and businesses will remain open as normal during daytime hours,” Patel reports.
That’s it for this week. We hope you had a safe holiday weekend and we’ll see you next Friday.
