Palestine adds 3,648 new COVID-19 cases, 24 deaths

Xinhua

16th Feb, 2022. 12:06 pm
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RAMALLAH/GAZA – The Palestinian territories on Tuesday reported 3,648 new COVID-19 cases and 24 related deaths in the last 24 hours.

In a press statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that 1,640 new cases were recorded in the coastal enclave Gaza Strip, ruled by the Islamic Resistance Movement of Hamas, with 1,128 new cases confirmed in the West Bank and 880 new cases in East Jerusalem.

Of the 24 deaths, 14 were logged in the besieged Gaza Strip, while the other 10 were registered in the West Bank, the ministry said, noting that the total COVID-19 death toll registered in the Palestinian territories has grown to 5,320 since March 2020.

According to the statement, 4,073 recoveries were reported in the Palestinian territories over the past day.

In Gaza, Mohammad Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, told reporters that the Omicron variant “has exhausted the health system in the Gaza Strip due to the unprecedented rapid increase of cases in the last few days.”

Abu Selmiya warned that the surging cases would risk the lives of the elderly and those with chronic diseases and weak immunity.