Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Authorities set out precautions for Eid al-Adha July 31-August 2 /update 48

Event

On Monday, July 27, the Palestinian Authority announced precautionary measures that will be in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during the Eid al-Adha holiday period. The government stated that mourning houses, wedding halls, and other large indoor venues would remain closed and that prayers on the morning of Friday, July 31, would take place in public yards and squares, lasting no more than 15 minutes. A full lockdown will then be implemented across the West Bank from Friday evening until Sunday morning, August 2. The exact timings of the lockdown are not clear. Bakeries and pharmacies are among those that will be exempt from the lockdown.

Earlier on Monday, health authorities announced 333 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. Health authorities have reported 10,938 COVID-19 cases across the West Bank and Gaza, with 79 associated deaths. Further international spread of the virus is expected over the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the virus.