Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) WHO Update 20

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update 20

Information for period: 5 March – 9 April 2020

New COVID-19 dashboard by WHO for oPt

Highlights

• In the Gaza Strip, health authorities are urgently appealing for support to procure more lab testing kits, reporting supplies have run out
• WHO has procured additional test kits, to be delivered from abroad and to be distributed to supply the Gaza Strip and the West Bank upon arrival
• This week, WHO delivered the following items to local health authorities in the Gaza Strip: 14 patient monitors and 9 electrocardiography (ECG) machines; Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and hand sanitizers to benefit an estimated 2,500 health workers; five types of medications for case management of COVID-19 cases
• In East Jerusalem, WHO continues support the East Jerusalem Hospital Network in advocacy efforts for donor support to East Jerusalem Hospitals designated to receive

WHO delivered essential medical supplies and equipment to health authorities in Gaza: 14 patient monitors and 9 electrocardiography (ECG) machines; PPEs and hand sanitizers to benefit an estimated 2,500 health workers; five types of drugs for case management of COVID-19

WHO Preparedness, readiness and response

WHO is continuing to work with partners to support Ministry of Health’s (MoH) efforts to respond to the COVID-19 situation in oPt.

Surveillance

• The total number of cases in all oPt is 263, including 250 cases in the West Bank and 13 in the Gaza Strip
• The Ministry of Health reports that many of the newly reported cases are amongst the Palestinian workers from a factory in Atarot where they were in contact with a confirmed case from Israel
• From the analysis of the confirmed cases to-date (see our new dashboard) more than 67% of all affected are male. More than a third of all cases is among the age group from 18 to 49 years
• To-date, the MoH has reported a total of 44 cases have recovered and one person had died
• WHO continues to support the Ministry of Health in strengthening surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections using the DHIS-2 electronic health information system and Eastern Mediterranean flu reporting tools

Since February 2020, WHO has provided laboratory supplies to perform more than 5,700 COVID-19 tests. WHO has ordered additional testing kits to be delivered and distributed upon arrival to Gaza and the West Bank. Pictured are medical supplies we have delivered. 

Laboratory diagnostics

• In the Gaza Strip, health authorities are appealing for support to procure lab testing kits, reporting supplies have run out and local supplies have been exhausted. Some quarantine samples have accumulated in Gaza, and as a result people are waiting to be released from quarantine. A total of 2,020 samples have been tested, including some outside of Gaza
• WHO has procured additional test kits, to be delivered from abroad and to be distributed to supply the Gaza Strip and the West Bank upon arrival.

• The Palestinian Authority (PA) released the National COVID-19 Response Plan on 26 March that outlined the strategic measures from a number of key sectors, including health, economy and social protection to contain the outbreak. The amount of $137 million planned by the PA for a period of 90 days is needed to support the proposed measures. A detailed list of medical and other supplies has also been issued on 02 April 2020 and shared with all partners and donors
• On 3 April 2020, the President Abbas extended a decree introducing the State of Emergency in the oPt
• There are concerns that the return of an estimated 50,000 Palestinian workers from Israel to their West Bank villages might trigger a further increase of COVID-19 cases. The Prime Minister’s office is discussing potential options for quarantine and other measures with key stakeholders.

The humanitarian clusters under the leadership of Humanitarian Coordinator and with support from WHO released an updated inter-agency multi-sectoral COVID-19 response plan on 27 March 2020 totalling $34 million for a period of 90 days. The plan aligns the collective efforts of the UN and its partners to support the Palestinian Authority’s lead National Response Plan to manage the impact of COVID-19 as well as with the global UN appeal issued by the UN Secretary General on 25 March 2020.

The health response part of the oPt inter-agency plan asks for $19.5 million to support immediate priority COVID-19 response actions developed by partners to support containment and to address immediate health system gaps in laboratory testing, case management and infection prevention and control.