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Current Events in Light of Covid-19 22 April 2021 Last Updated: 2:10 p.m. CURRENT EVENTS IN LIGHT OF COVID-19 The Palestinian Association for Empowerment and Local Development - REFORM https://scontent.fjrs13-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/170160990_3701744776618040_8437382892503572268_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=ZMv9yC5-8eQAX_0lhSz&_nc_ht=scontent.fjrs13-1.fna&oh=67ac5648b55d2fe9ee69886b15c2bbf3&oe=60A87B1B As the highly contagious Coronavirus, COVID-19, is affecting 219 countries and territories around the world, Palestine attempts to contain a local outbreak that has effectively 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 23,272 people placed in quarantine, both at home and at designated facilities. Although 1,698,129 individuals in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been tested for COVID-19, there remains a deficiency in the amount of testing kits, as there is an increase in the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.2 Global Level3 # of COVID-19 Cases # of Recoveries # of Deaths # of Currently Infected Patients 144,561,695 122,747,327 3,074,781 18,739,587 1https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ 2http://www.corona.ps 3https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ Local Level4 Location # of COVID-19 # of # of Deaths # of Currently Cases Recoveries Infected Patients West Bank 221,432 209,142 2,564 9,726 (including Including 28,841 in (28,409) (268) (164) Jerusalem) Jerusalem Gaza Strip 95,089 75,826 819 18,444 Today, 22.04.2021 the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, announced that there are 1,652 new people who have COVID-19, bringing the total cases to 316,521. Since Monday, 19.04.2021, there has been an overall increase of 5,425 cases in Palestine. The Ministry further indicated that there are a total of 284,968 recoveries and 3,383 deaths, while 28,170 remain active across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, includinG occupied Jerusalem. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website, Ma’an News Agency and Wafa News Agency Yesterday, 21.04.2021, the Directorate of the Social Development in the Bethlehem Governorate distributed 108 food packaGes to families in need across the Governorate. The Director of the Directorate, Badran Badir, said: "The packaGes come to support and strenGthen the steadfastness of poor, marGinalised and vulnerable families as a result of the pandemic. We, in the Directorate, under the guidance of the Palestinian Minister of Social Development, Dr. Ahmed Majdalani, are strenGtheninG cooperation with various partners and associations to provide all needs and serve the poor families in the Governorate in light of the holy month of Ramadan.” Sources: Raya News Network and Wafa News Agency Yesterday, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a report indicatinG that merchandise exports decreased during February of 2021 by 2% compared to the previous month, while they increased by 26% compared to February of 2020, reachinG $99.9 million. The report also indicated that imports decreased during February of 2021 by 8% compared to the previous month, while they increased by 7% compared to February of 2020, reachinG $451.9 million. Sources: The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics’ Website and Wafa News Agency Yesterday, the United Nations World Food ProGramme (WFP) started delivering fortified wheat flour for 72,000 people of the most vulnerable families in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for nine months, thanks to a $4 million grant from the Russian Federation. “ToGether with our esteemed colleaGues from WFP, we are proud to be a part of joint efforts to provide basic food support to the poorest families here in Palestine. This is the least that can be done and we will continue to do our best to contribute further to international humanitarian assistance,” said Deputy Representative of the Russian Federation to the Palestinian Authority Alexey Faezov during distributions of wheat flour to the Bedouin and herding community of Wadi Qelt in the West Bank. Sources: Wattan News Agency and Wafa News Agency On Tuesday, 20.04.2021, the Palestinian Minister of Health, Dr. Mai Al-Kela, indicated that Palestine received the second shipment of COVID-19 vaccines throuGh COVAX, consistinG of 28,8000 doses for the Gaza Strip and 43,200 doses for the West Bank. Sources: The Palestinian Ministry of Health’s Website 4https://www.corona.ps/details Several attacks and arrests by the Israeli occupying forces took place across Palestine: 1. Today, 5 Palestinian men were arrested from several Governorates across the West Bank, including: Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Hebron and Bethlehem, in addition to occupied Jerusalem. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya News Network 2. Today, agricultural lands, belonging to Palestinians, were bulldozed for the second consecutive day in the east of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ma’an News Agency 3. Today, a decision was passed to seize 147 dunams of agricultural land, belonging to Palestinians, west of the Bethlehem Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Dunia Al-Wattan News Agency 4. Today, a 20-year-old boy was arrested and his car was seized while passing the checkpoint in the western entrance to the city of Beit Jala, west of the Bethlehem Governorate. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Wattan News Agency http://images.wafa.ps/image/NewsThumbImg/Default/1e63ab2d-64e4-4692-8111-a0106ce5020a.jpeg 5. Today, 98 settlers invaded Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Ajyal Radio Network 6. Yesterday, a young Palestinian boy was arrested from Damascus Gate, in occupied Jerusalem, after he was brutally searched. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Wattan News Agency 7. Yesterday, the archeological site in the town of Sebastia, north of the Nablus Governorate, was invaded, where the site and roads leading to it were closed. Sources: Wafa News Agency and Al-Hadath Newspaper 8. Yesterday, shepherds were attacked in the east of Yatta, south of the Hebron Governorate. Sources: Raya News Network and Al-Quds Net News Network Yesterday, the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi submitted documents to the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, proving Palestinian ownership of Jerusalem's neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. "We have provided all the documents that we have, which can help the Palestinian residents to preserve their full rights," Safadi asserted, referring to documents related to ownership of the homes in Sheikh Jarrah. "Jerusalem is a red line for Jordan, the king and our people, as it is a red line for the state of Palestine," Safadi stated. He continued: "Jordan and Palestine were and will remain the closest to each other, and the Jordanian effort will be focused on supporting the Palestinians and ensuring that they achieve their legitimate rights, especially the right to freedom and the independent state because that is a condition for achieving security, stability and the regional peace that we all seek.” Sources: Wafa News Agency and Raya New Network Today, the Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed that total number of COVID-19 cases is 837,492, of which 6,346 died and 829,127 recovered. According to the Health Ministry’s statistics, of the 2,019 active cases in Israel, 173 are in critical condition. Sources: Ma’an News Agency and i24 News Agency Miscellaneous: • The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC vaccine advisers will meet again tomorrow to discuss whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine causes blood clots and if so, what to do about it. • As US health officials race to get more COVID-19 shots into arms to control the virus, experts now warn vaccine supply will likely outstrip demand in the next few weeks. • Yesterday, President Biden called on every employer in America to give employees paid time off to get vaccinated, the administration’s latest move to try to persuade the more than half of the nation’s adults who have yet to get a dose to do so. • For fully vaccinated people, the risk of still getting COVID-19 -- described as "breakthrough infections" -- remains extremely low, a new study out of New York suggests. • Today, India recorded the highest daily rise in COVID-19 cases worldwide since the pandemic began, as hospitals buckle under the weight of the country's second wave. • According to new data published on Tuesday by the World Health Organization, more new Coronavirus cases were reported around the world last week than in any seven-day period since the beginning of the pandemic. Following are links of useful resources for information and updates on COVID-19: 1. http://www.corona.ps/details 2. https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses 3. https://www.who.int/HealtH-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 4. https://www.moH.gov.ps/portal/en/ If you would like more information, please contact the World Health Organization through WhatsApp on: +41798931892. .
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