Gaza witnessing third covid wave, says official

Gaza is experiencing a third wave of coronavirus, the director of the Laboratories and Blood Banks Unit at the enclave’s Ministry of Health warned yesterday.

Shehda Barhoum told Quds Radio that it was “not possible to determine the number of infections during this stage, while people are not adhering to the precautionary measures set by the ministry.”

He pointed out that the ministry had been “monitoring the number of new cases for a week,” noting there was an “increase in the number of infections in specific areas.”

“Testing supplies are currently available in 56 centres in cooperation with international organisations,” Barhoum added, stressing that there was a “shortage” in oxygen. He said that 12 testing devices were purchased in the West Bank, but they have not arrived in Gaza.

So far, a total of 321,031 have contracted the virus in Palestine, 3,625 of whom have died, and 313,448 others have recovered, according to the US’ Worldometers.

READ: Delta variant blamed for most COVID-19 cases in Palestine