Israel/Palestinian Terr.: Gaza authorities restrict movement in and out of Al-Amal and Sheikh Radwan September 24 /update 58

Event

Authorities in Gaza who restricted movement in and out of the towns of Al-Amal and Sheikh Radwan in Gaza on Thursday, September 24, due to an increase in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. Similar movement restrictions are also in place to control travel in and out of Jabalia and al-Turkman.  

The shortened 20:00 to 07:00 (local time) curfew remains in place in most provinces, with the exception of certain high-risk areas.

Additionally, between Sunday, September 27, and Tuesday, September 29, Egyptian authorities will reopen the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip. Up to 500 people will be allowed through per day to allow the repatriation of travelers on both sides of the border. Travelers must present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours prior to crossing the border.  

As of Friday, September 25, there have been 37,591 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the West Bank and Gaza with 274 associated fatalities. Further international spread of the virus is to be expected in 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.