CURRENT EVENTS IN LIGHT OF COVID-19The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development - REFORM

As the highly contagious Coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting 217 countries and territories around theworld and 2 international conveyances, Palestine attempts to contain a local outbreak that haseffectively halted daily life and led to tens of thousands of people entering quarantine.1

Currently, the Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that there is currently 11,874 people placed inquarantine, both at home and at designated facilities. Although 586,532 individuals in the West Bankand Gaza Strip have been tested for COVID-19, there remains a deficiency in the amount of testingkits, as there is an increase in the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.2

Global Level3

# of Currently Infected Patients

# of Deaths# of Recoveries# of COVID-19 Cases

15,861,8451,357,69539,496,03956,715,579

1https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/2http://www.corona.ps3https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

19 November 2020Last Updated: 2:45 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/mohps/photos/3067857423340115

Today, 19.11.2020 the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, announced that there are 1,251new people who have COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 79,822. Since Monday, 16.11.2020, therehas been an overall increase of 3,660 cases in Palestine. The Ministry further indicated that there are atotal of 69,398 recoveries and 676 deaths, while 9,748 remain active across the West Bank and theGaza Strip, including occupied Jerusalem. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website, Ma’anNews Agency and Wafa News Agency

Today, the Palestinian Ministry of Health’s spokesperson, Kamal Al-Shakhra, indicated that therespirators and medical supplies are in the Ministry’s warehouse, awaiting an appointment in order forthe Red Cross and international organisations to transfer them to the Gaza Strip. He further stressedthat the Ministry is in constant contact with all the medical teams in the Strip to assist with the COVID-19 outbreak. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website and Wafa News Agency

Yesterday, 18.11.2020, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation received a grant from Nigeria that wasfor the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Dr. Ali Al-Sofi, Acting Representative of the Organization of IslamicCooperation in Palestine, indicated that this grant is the result of efforts made by the Secretary-Generalof the Organization, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, where he addressed a letter to the foreignministers of the Organization's member states to support the Palestinian Ministry of Health incombating the COVID-19 pandemic. He further added that Nigeria responded to this request andprovided financial support to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Sources: Raya News Network and WafaNews Agency

Yesterday, the Palestinian Minister of Education, Mr. Marwan Awartani, discussed with the Director ofthe UNESCO Office in Palestine mechanisms to strengthen partnership and cooperation in regards toeducation, especially in light of COVID-19 and its challenges. Sources: Wafa News Agency and WattanNews Agency

On Tuesday, the Russian medical delegation that arrived in Palestine held meetings at the PalestinianMinistry of Health to address and discuss their experiences in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.Sources: Wafa News Agency and Al-Hadath Newspaper

On Tuesday, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, indicated that a complete lockdown inPalestine is not currently on the horizon. She further added that there will only be closures in affectedareas. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website and Wafa News Agency

Local Level4

# of Currently Infected Patients

# of Deaths# of Recoveries

# of COVID-19 Cases

Location

5,921(519)

620(78)

60,842(11,929)

67,383Including 12,526 in

Jerusalem

West Bank (including Jerusalem)

3,827568,55612,439Gaza Strip

4https://www.corona.ps/details

On Tuesday, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, stated: “We will continueto provide aid for the families of martyrs and prisoners in order to ensure that they have a decentlife.” He further stressed: “We will not abandon them.” Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya NewsNetwork

Several attacks and arrests by the Israeli occupying forces took place across Palestine:

1. Today, a demolition notice was issued to a barrack, belonging to a Palestinian, under thepretext of not having a license, in the east of the Qalqilya Governorate. Sources: WafaNews Agency andMa’an News Agency

2. Today, the occupying forces issued a notice to stop construction on a home, belonging toa Palestinian, due to its proximity to the Separation Wall, in the town of Beit Awa,southwest of the Hebron Governorate. Sources: Al-Hadath Newspaper and Quds NetNews Agency

3. Today, 98 settlers invaded the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

4. Today, a group of settlers plowed private lands belonging to the residents of the village ofUrif, south of the Nablus Governorate. Sources: Al-Hadath Newspaper and Wattan NewsAgency

5. Today, two homes, belonging to Palestinians, were invaded and searched in the HebronGovernorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency andWattan News Agency

6. Today, a number of checkpoints were set up at the entrances of the towns of Bani Naimand Halhul in the Hebron Governorate, where citizens’ vehicles were checked. Sources:Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

https://www.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/12840.

On Tuesday, dozens of Democratic members of Congress called on US Secretary of State MikePompeo to condemn the Israeli government's demolition of a Palestinian village in the occupiedWest Bank and investigate whether American military equipment was used in the operation. Theletter stated: "Creeping annexation cannot be a policy that the U.S. government supports if wewish to see peace in the region," spearheaded by Congressman Mark Pocan and signed by 40others. It said: "This single act was the largest Israeli displacement of Palestinians in four years,behavior only made possible by continued silence from the American government.” It furtherstated: "In addition to requesting that the State Department condemn this violation ofinternational law, we also wish to know if American-sourced military equipment was used in therecent Israeli government displacements of the Palestinian Bedouin community of Homsa al-Baquia (Khirbet Humsa).” Sources: Wattan News Agency and Wafa News Agency

Today, the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that total number of COVID-19 cases is 326,331, ofwhich 2,739 died and 315,318 recovered. According to the Health Ministry’s statistics, of the8,274 active cases in Israel, 309 are in critical condition. Sources: Ma’an News Agency and i24News Agency

Miscellaneous:

• According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than 250,000reported deaths from COVID-19 in the US since the pandemic began.

• Today, New York City schools are closed as Coronavirus cases rise in the city.

• Pfizer’s Coronavirus vaccine is 95% effective, the company announced yesterday. Earlier thisweek, Moderna said its vaccine is 94.5% effective.

• Today, British researchers reported that AstraZeneca’s experimental Coronavirus vaccineappears to work safely in older people, generating as strong an immune response in thoseover the age of 70 as it does in younger people.

• Today, Russia surpassed 2 million COVID-19 cases, according to data from the country’sCoronavirus response center.

• Today, officials in Tokyo announced that the it is raising its COVID-19 alert to level 4, thehighest of the four-tier alert system.

• Yesterday, Adm. Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health at the US Department of Healthand Human Services, said that the COVID-19 vaccine distribution won’t be slowed by thedelay in the presidential transition process.

Following are links of useful resources for information and updates on COVID-19:

1. http://www.corona.ps/details2. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses3. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_14. https://www.moh.gov.ps/portal/en/

If you would like more information, please contact the World Health Organization through WhatsApp on: +41798931892.