Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report 31

occupied Palestinian territory, issued 28 May 2020 
Information for period: 5 March - 28 May 2020 

Highlights

• A total of 614 COVID-19 cases in oPt: 553 in West Bank and 61 in Gaza Strip  

• One death and 31 new confirmed cases reported in Gaza in the past week 

• WHO delivered 10,000 personal protective equipment kits to Ministry of Health  

• A new supply portal has been launched on the global COVID-19 response coordination platform to support procurement for all partners

• The next situation report will be issued on 11 June.

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 in the occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt).

WHO delivered a truckload of essential medical supplies including 10,000 Personal Protective Equipment Kits and antiseptic to protect frontline health workers caring for COVID-19 patients on May 28. Thanks to generous support of Government of Kuwait ​

Coordination, planning and monitoring

Surveillance

• The total number of cases in oPt is 614, including 552 cases in the West Bank and 61 in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, most cases are from East Jerusalem (179), Jerusalem Governorate (140), followed by Hebron (78) Ramallah (77) and Bethlehem (59). A total of 11 health workers are among those confirmed cases   

• To-date, the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported a total of 483 cases have recovered: 465 in West Bank (including 118 in East Jerusalem) and 18 in Gaza and five people have died in the oPt: case fatality rate (CFR) is 0.81%   

• About two-thirds (64%) of all confirmed cases are male (279 cases) and about 82% of all cases (358 cases) are below the age of 50 years in the oPt, excluding East Jerusalem.   

Laboratory diagnostics

• A total of 54,000 laboratory samples have been tested for COVID-19 in the oPt according to the MoH   

• In the Gaza Strip, health authorities are continuing to appeal for support to procure additional laboratory testing kits. A total of 9,335 samples have been tested, including some outside of Gaza  

• With a global and local shortage of lab supplies and other medical equipment, large quantities of essential items are challenging to procure but WHO is working to try and address this to support oPt’s COVID-19 response.  

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Isolation and Case Management and Operations support and logistics

• According to the MoH, more than 19,374 Palestinians are in quarantine (home or facility-based) for monitoring of their symptoms and ensuring early detection of cases     

• In the Gaza Strip, one death and 31 new confirmed cases were reported in the past week, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 61. A total of 18 people have recovered from COVID-19, of which 13 were discharged home and five were moved to quarantine facilities at Rafah crossing. Forty-two active cases remain in isolation at Rafah crossing field hospital 

• More than 1,496 people are in one of the 14 operational quarantine facilities which include designated primary health facilities, schools or hotels 

• Today WHO procured and delivered a truckload of essential medical supplies including 10,000 Personal Protective Equipment Kits and antiseptic to protect frontline health workers that care for COVID-19 patients. The delivery featured 30,000 surgical masks, 10,000 N95 masks, 5,000 coveralls, 6,000 face shields, 3,700 goggles and 5,000 (500ml) containers of alcogel. These essential items will allow health workers to do their jobs safely and with confidence, free from the fear of infection 

• This delivery was made possible with the generous support of the Government of Kuwait which has provided substantial funding for the COVID-19 response in Palestine. This funding will continue to provide the Ministry of Health’s facilities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with medical equipment and disposables, in line with the Palestinian Authority’s National COVID-19 response plan 

• WHO and UNICEF continue to scale up procurement efforts to mobilize life-saving essential Intensive Care Unit and ventilator equipment locally and through global supply mechanisms. 

East Jerusalem​

• As of May 27, 2020 (10:00 am), the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health reported 179 COVID-19 cases in East Jerusalem. Two deaths have been reported (CFR- 1.1%) and 118 recovered in the same period
• A reduction of referrals to East Jerusalem Hospitals had a great impact on the hospitals’ operational capacity and financial situation. The St Johns Eye Hospital in particular experienced a dramatic drop in the number of patients at its four facilities in East Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza since the lockdown due to fewer referrals from the MoH. More than 18,000 patients missed their scheduled medical appointments for examination and clinical treatment and over 1,200 major sight-saving surgeries were cancelled. This translated into a significant service-provision backlog, both for the hospital and for the MoH, as well as total losses of about US $1.5 million and up to this point and an estimated end-of year loss of estimated US $4 million assuming gradual return to a normal situation in the coming months. The hospital has launched a fundraising campaign to address the current shortfalls 
• To maintain continuity of specialized services by the East Jerusalem hospitals, including ophthalmic services, it is important to continue financial support to the East Jerusalem hospitals to continue and sustain their operations 
• In supporting the response to the COVID-19 crisis, WHO is coordinating with the East Jerusalem Hospitals Network (EJHN) to address the health needs of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, focusing on provision of technical guidance, risk communication and community engagement to disseminate public health advice for prevention of COVID-19 and advocacy with donors to fund the priority needs. 

Health Access

More local information

Situation in Eastern Mediterranean Region and Globally 

Latest WHO advice and health information:

• Cleaning and disinfection of environmental surfaces in the context of COVID-19 

• Immunization in the context of COVID-19 pandemic 

• Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents with COVID-19 

• Considerations for public health and social measures in the workplace in the context of COVID-19   

• Considerations for school-related public health measures in the COVID-19 context

Further information:

Dr. Gerald Rockenschaub, WHO oPt Head of Office, rockenschaubg@who.int
Dr. Ayadil Saparbekov, WHO oPt Health Emergencies Team Lead, asaparbekov@who.int
Alice Plate, WHO oPt Communication Specialist, platea@who.int