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

As the highly contagious Coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting 213 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 16,905 people placed inquarantine, both at home and at designated facilities. Although 239,091 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

6,479,563784,87515,070,31422,334,752

1https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/2http://www.wafa.ps/3https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

http://images.wafa.ps/photo.aspx?id=192681

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

Today, 19.08.2020, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, announced that there are424 new people who have COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 23,427. Since Monday,17.08.2020, there has been an overall increase of 1,036 cases in Palestine. The Ministry furtherindicated that there are a total of 14,321 recoveries and 127 deaths, while 8,979 remain activeacross the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, including occupied Jerusalem. Sources: The PalestinianMinistry of Health’s Website, Ma’an News Agency and Wafa News Agency

Yesterday, 18.08.2020, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, opened the largestPalestinian laboratory specialized in conducting COVID-19 tests in Jericho. Osama Al-Najjar,Director General of Medical Services at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, emphasized that 3,000examinations can be carried out daily. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

Local Level4

# of Currently Infected Patients

# of Deaths# of Recoveries

# of COVID-19 Cases

Location

8,957(1,800)

126(12)

14,250(4,009)

23,333Including 5,821 in

Jerusalem

West Bank (including Jerusalem)

2217194Gaza Strip

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

https://www.facebook.com/mohps/photos/pcb.3067701603355697/3067700783355779/?type=3&theater

Yesterday, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh, signed an agreementindicating Italy’s pledge to provide 9 million Euros to the Palestinian Ministry of SocialDevelopment, the Public Prosecution and the Palestinian Ministry of Labor. Dr. Shtayyehstated: “An important message is sent to the world indicating Europe’s political and economicsupport to the Palestinian people, as it had a firm position against annexation for the sake ofestablishing an independent Palestinian state. For us, this alligns with our political goal.”Sources: Palestine News Network, Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

Yesterday, the Palestinian Minister of National Economy, Khaled Al-Asaily, and the PalestinianMinister of Labor, Dr. Nasri Abu Jaish, agreed to start preparing a strategy to rehabilitate theindustrial sectors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, in cooperation with the United NationsIndustrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Sources: Wafa News Agency and Wattan NewsAgency

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

1. Today, 18 Palestinians were arrested across several Governorates in the West Bank,including: Jenin, Tubas, Tulkarem and Ramallah and Al-Bireh as well as occupied Jerusalem.Sources: Wafa News Agency and Al-Najah News Agency

2. Today, a number of Palestinians suffocated from tear gas canisters after the occupying forcesraided the village of Faqoua, east of the Jenin Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency andWattan News Agency

3. Yesterday, Israeli warplanes bombed a number of agricultural sites and lands in differentareas of the Gaza Strip. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network

4. Yesterday, the only power station in the Gaza Strip had completely stopped operating, inwhich the occupying forces prevented the required fuel from entering the Strip. Sources:Ma’an News Agency and Wattan News Agency

5. Yesterday, Israeli settlers attacked and damaged properties belonging to Palestinians in thesouth of the Hebron Governorate. Sources: Raya News Network and Wafa News Agency

6. Yesterday, Israeli navy seals fired at Palestinian fishermen's boats off the coast of Gaza City.Sources: Wafa News Agency and Palestine News Network

7. Yesterday, a young Palestinian man was seriously injured after being shot in the stomach bythe occupying forces in Jabal Al-Mukaber, south of occupied Jerusalem. Sources: Wafa NewsAgency and Raya News Network

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Yesterday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Thursday’s normalizationagreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel at a joint meeting of the Palestinianleadership and urged other countries to stick to a 2002 proposal that conditions ties with Israelon the creation of a Palestinian state. Abbas stated: “We consider this a stab in the back and weabsolutely reject it.” He further indicated: “You cannot can take our place…Palestine speaks in itsown name. She is who will say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You are not responsible for the Palestinian cause, wealone, the Palestinians here, will speak on behalf of the Palestinian cause.” Sources: Wafa NewsAgency and Ma’an News Agency

Today, the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that total number of COVID-19 cases is 96,996, ofwhich 719 died and 72,498 recovered. According to statistics sent out by the Health Ministry, ofthe 23,779 active cases in Israel, 401 are in critical condition. Sources: Ma’an News Agency andi24 News Agency

Miscellaneous:

• Dr. Anthony Fauci, America's leading infectious disease expert, said he does not foresee aCOVID-19 vaccine mandate in the United States.

• Australia has secured a deal with AstraZeneca for access to a potential COVID-19 vaccine,which it would provide free to all citizens.

• American biotech company Regeneron and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche are joiningforces to increase the supply of Regeneron’s antibody therapy to fight COVID-19.

• Cuban researchers will begin clinical trials of a potential vaccine against the novel Coronavirusnext week.

• Today, the Minister of Labor, Elisabeth Borne, announced that France will make face coveringsmandatory in enclosed shared office spaces starting September 1.

• Migrant workers are returning to India’s major cities in hopes of regaining work. Arriving inbuses, they are made to take rapid COVID-19 tests and sent to quarantine centers if they testpositive.

• After a surge in infections in the past week, South Korea banned all gatherings of more than50 people indoors and shut down nightclubs, karaoke rooms and buffet restaurants.

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.