Covid-19 Timeline
Please note that Coronavirus cases are an underestimate given the lack of testing, resources, and asymptomatic carriers. We recognize that in resource poor areas just as Gaza and the West Bank, these numbers are a major underrepresentation and fail to fully reflect the impact of the pandemic. Numbers are also sometimes hard to get and sources conflict and there is increasingly less interest in the topic in the media.
Cumulative cases of coronavirus, as of April 30, 2022
Israel 4,074,119
West Bank 332,300 (including East Jerusalem, 4/24 WHO) note discrepancy with earlier MOH numbers
East Jerusalem 74,675 (4/2 OCHA from local sources)
Gaza 249,600 ( 4/24 WHO)
Total 657,060 (Reuters), 657,060(4/29 WHO)
March 20-April 30, 2022
After a surge of omicron/BA.2 variant in early March, the rate of new infections in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories has continued to slow down. In Israel, the risk of death or need for artificial breathing support in severely ill COVID-19 patients who have had four doses of the vaccine was found to be half that of severely-ill patients who had received only three doses.
It should be noted that the total “fully vaccinated” population in the oPt (likely two doses), is only 51.15% of target with the majority of those vaccinated being women, putting the entire population at increased risk from the pandemic due to lack of vaccination. This is yet another example of the wide discrepancies in public health between Israel and the occupied territories for which it is responsible according to international law. During this pandemic, the territories have been protected most likely because of their relative isolation and young population.
Data collection has continued to be challenging and contradictory; numbers out of East Jerusalem have been intermittently available “from local sources,” once again highlighting the differences in public health for East Jerusalemites versus the population in ’48 Israel. Occupied Palestinians, even those with residency permits, lack well-resourced, well-organized health and public health systems focused on their needs.
Two articles below explore the pandemic in the context of medical apartheid and long-term military occupation, structural impoverishment, limited mobility, and, in the case of Gaza, a blockade now in its 15th year. Add to that is a bombing campaign that destroyed Palestinian hospitals and killed Palestinian medics, as well as climate chaos and underlying class, gender, and race inequities.
In terms of the Palestinian economy during the pandemic, women more persistently lost jobs than men, particularly in the personal services, accommodation, and trade sectors, more so in Gaza. A research group at the UN cited below notes: Immediate and longer-term measures to be undertaken by the Palestinian authorities are needed to ensure a gender-responsive recovery from the pandemic. Currently, further fiscal support of reemployment subsidies to combat labor-market passivization and scarring as well as extension of social aid may prove key to the recovery phase. Deeper structural reforms are needed to address existing vulnerabilities and ensure preparedness for future shocks.
The overwhelming health risk for Palestinians at this time is likely the sharp uptick of Israeli soldier and settler violence (storming Al Aqsa Mosque Compound and continued Israeli attacks and killings of Palestinians), reminiscent of Ramadan 2021 during the provocations that led to the March 2021 assault on Gaza. Injuries and death rates are spiking and Palestinian resistance is growing, overtaking the public concerns about the pandemic.
March 23 occupied Palestinian territories
Israel’s denial of vaccine equality for Palestinians has exacerbated its medical apartheid. As a result, the pandemic has continued to rage in both the West Bank and Gaza, where the local healthcare systems were already seriously weakened by factors including long-term military occupation, structural impoverishment, limited mobility, and, in the case of Gaza, a blockade now in its 15th year, and a bombing campaign that destroyed Palestinian hospitals and killed Palestinian medics.
Unfortunately, the twin trends of epidemiological efficiency for Israeli citizens and abandonment of the Palestinians look set to continue with the state’s 4th round of vaccinations. With the omicron infection rate now surging in both the West Bank and Gaza, it is likely that Palestinians are set for more suffering from the pandemic in the coming weeks.
Palestine Studies
March 25 occupied Palestinian territories
Over the last week in oPt, 155 cases on average (23/100,000 population) were reported each day, or 2% of peak and falling. Palestinian territories have reported a total of 655,468 infections and 5,649 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began. At least 3,677,892 doses of vaccines have been administered in oPt. Assuming every person needs two doses, that’s enough to cover about 39.2% of the population. During the last week reported, Palestinian territories averaged 6,026 doses each day. At that rate, it will take a further 156 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population.
March 29 occupied Palestinian territories
Fully vaccinated rates in oPt: 1.2 million in the West Bank, 510,600 in Gaza, 50.83% of target overall. Demographically, vaccination rates: females greater than males, West Bank greater than Gaza, 165 vaccination centers. No data from East Jerusalem which is presumably covered by the Israeli health system, but not given the same resources as the rest of Israel.
end of March Gaza & Global South
Report from Grassroots International examines how social movements have served as critical responders to the pandemic which magnified a host of underlying inequalities and multiple assaults while also building a transformative vision for the future. More than 85% of people in low income countries have not received their first vaccines. The report examines the issues that made people more vulnerable: land & water grabbing, food crises, climate chaos, economic inequality, authoritarianism, war & occupation, and underlying class, gender, and race inequities. The report highlights the work of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.
April 2022 Occupied Palestinian Territories
A feminist economic analysis of covid-19 impact on the Palestinian economy
Women more persistently lost jobs than men, particularly in the personal services, accommodation, and trade sectors. Women more frequently lost their jobs and faced stronger relative reductions of their working hours in the Gaza Strip than in the West Bank. Immediate and longer-term measures to be undertaken by the Palestinian authorities are needed to ensure a gender-responsive recovery from the pandemic. Currently, further fiscal support of reemployment subsidies to combat labour-market passivization and scarring as well as extension of social aid may prove key to the recovery phase. Deeper structural reforms are needed to address existing vulnerabilities and ensure preparedness for future shocks.
UNWomenPalestine
April 1 Occupied Palestinian Territories
In occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, from 3 January 2020 to 4:59pm CEST, 1 April 2022, there have been 655,750 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 5,655 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 24 March 2022, a total of 3,694,897 vaccine doses have been administered.
April 2 Occupied Palestinian Territories
The daily average of at least 113 new infections reported in the occupied Palestinian territories in the last week represented 1% of the peak on February 3, 2022. A total of 655,750 infections and 5,655 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in oPt since the beginning of the pandemic.
April 2 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and a compilation of their resources during the pandemic.
April 4 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Tracking of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) in Palestine
As surges of the COVID-19 pandemic continue globally, including in Palestine, several new SARS-CoV-2 variants have been introduced. This expansion has impacted transmission, disease severity, virulence, diagnosis, therapy, and natural and vaccine-induced immunity.
April 10 Occupied Palestinian Territories
In occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, from 3 January 2020 to 8:36pm CEST, 14 April 2022, there have been 656,617 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 5,656 deaths, reported to WHO. As of 10 April 2022, a total of 3,712,897 vaccine doses have been administered.
WHO
April 10 Israel
The risk of death or need for artificial breathing support in severely ill COVID-19 patients who have had four doses of the vaccine is half that of severely ill patients who have received only three doses. The finding is from a study that was carried out in Israel, preliminary data from which was presented last week to the Health Ministry’s pandemic response team.
April 10 Occupied Palestinian Territories
A total of 3,712,897 vaccine doses have been administered in the oPt.
WHO
Graphic presentation of data from WHO. Additional info: in West Bank 26 patients in ICU, 9 on ventilators. In Gaza 34 patients in ICU, 21 on ventilators. In West Bank 66.3% of target are vaccinated, in Gaza 46.5%, majority women in both regions.
WHO
April 15 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Over the last week in the occupied Palestinian territories, 47 cases on average (7/100,000 population) were reported each day, or 1% of the peak on February 3. Palestinian territories have reported a total of 656,618 infections and 5,656 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began. At least 3,712,897 doses of vaccines have been administered in oPt, enough to cover about 39.6% of the population with two doses. During the last week reported, Palestinian territories averaged 976 doses given each day.
Graphic depiction of covid 19 cases and outcomes. They are reporting Coronavirus Cases in the State of Palestine: 581,678
Deaths: 5,352
Recovered: 575,613
April 16 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Infection rates are at 1% of peak with 7 infections per 100,000 reported in the past 7 days. There are 46 new infections each day. There have been 656,618 infections total with 5,656 coronavirus-related deaths.
April 22 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Over the last week in the occupied Palestinian territories, 47 cases on average (7/100,000 population) were reported each day, or 1% of the peak on February 3. Occupied Palestinian territories have reported a total of 656,876 infections and 5,657 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. At least 3,716,803 doses of vaccines have been administered in oPt, enough to cover about 39.7% of the population with two doses. During the last week reported, Palestinian territories averaged 642 doses given each day – more than one third fewer than reported the previous week.
April 24 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Graphics of current numbers: 332,000 cases in the West Bank, 249,600 cases in Gaza, 0 patients currently in ICUs, 60 active cases in EJ. 66.3% of West Bank targeted populations vaccinated, 46.5% Gaza. Total fully vaccinated population in the oPt is 51.15% of target, majority women.
April 25 Occupied Palestinian Territories
The Ministry of Health said today that only 183 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in Palestine during the week between April 17 and 24. It said 87 new cases and 67 recoveries were recorded in the West Bank, 37 new cases and 276 recoveries were recorded in the Gaza Strip, and 60 new cases and 30 recoveries were reported in East Jerusalem. The Ministry said six Covid-19 patients remain hospitalized, two are in intensive care and two are on ventilators. It said only 0.1% of the overall Covid-19 cases recorded since the start of the pandemic two years ago remain active while 99 percent have recovered and 0.9 percent have died.
WAFA
April 30 Occupied Palestinian Territories
Over the last week in the occupied Palestinian territories, an average of 3 cases per day of COVID-19 were reported per 100,000 population, or less than 1% of the peak. Occupied Palestinian territories have reported a total of 657,060 infections and 5,657 coronavirus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic (i.e, no new deaths in the last week). At least 3,718,981 doses of vaccines have been administered in oPt, enough to cover about 39.7% of the population with two doses. During the last week reported, Palestinian territories averaged only 417 doses given each day.
Reuters
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This Jewish Voice for Peace Health Advisory Council report harmonizes beautifully with “The Song of the Zionists” (See https://tinyurl.com/bdf636mw).