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Palestinian Enclave Faces 'Terrifying' Virus Scenario

Jacob Wirtschafter

   For a few short weeks,the people of Gaza had hoped that 13 years of
   tightly sealed borders with Israel and Egyptmight somehow prevent the
   spread of COVID-19 into this Palestinian enclave of 2 million people.

   "Some even joked that the Israeli blockade of Gaza protected it from
   the virus,"RaeedRedwan, a 25-year-old graduate student at Al-Azhar
   University, said. "But now the people are filled with fear."

   Redwan said the shift of feelings from immunity to vulnerability came
   Sunday after authorities announced that two men,aged 79 and 63,who
   returned to the strip from Pakistan via Egypt,tested positive for
   COVID-19 at a border quarantine station.

   Authorities now count 59 cases of COVID-19 in the West Bank and Gaza
   Strip.Israel has more than 1,440 confirmed cases.

   "Gaza is amongst the most densely populated places in the world, and
   social distancing is very difficult," Abu Salemsaid. "This is a
   terrifying scenario."

   Since March 15, more than 2,000 Gazans who crossed the Rafah border
   with Egypt and the Erez crossing to Israel have been put in home
   quarantine.

   An additional 1,200 have been put in quarantine facilities built by the
   local health authorities adjacent to the two frontier checkpoints,
   World Health Organization officialssaid.

   "What we need to do is strengthen the capacity of the health system
   because should we see an increase in the number of cases, some of them
   might require respiratory treatment," Dr. Gerald Rockenschaub, head of
   the WHO's office for the occupied Palestinian Territory, said. "Funds
   have been released to scale up and procure needed supplies and
   equipment."

   Gaza doctors worryit may be too late in the game against coronavirus
   for theirhealth system'smedical procurements.

   "As far as I know,we haven't received anything from the Egyptians or
   the Israelis,and we have only a limited number of testing materials
   supplied to us from the [Palestnian] Ministry of Health in Ramallah
   [The West Bank]," AymanHalabi,directorgeneral oflabsandblood banksfor
   the Gaza Ministry of Health, said.

   "What came to us is very limited,"Halabisaid. "We estimate that once
   the virus arrives in full force, we will need 7,500 surgical masks a
   month,and all we have is around 1,000."

   "I know that some high school kids and university students have started
   watching online videos to teach themselves how to make
   masks,"Halabitold VOA. "But we need to have personal protective gear
   that meets medical standards for the staff who work in labs,
   hospitalsand quarantine centers."

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