Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar contracted the coronavirus and is in isolation, according to an official statement from Hamas. The statement also claims that Sinwar’s health is good and he continues his normal day’s work (plotting murderous attacks on Jews and cultivating his orchids – DI).
Abu Ali Express noted that in recent days quite a few members of Sinwar’s family have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Sinwar, 58, recovered from cancer while in an Israeli prison, before his release in the Gilad Shalit deal on October 18, 2011.
Gaza’s health authorities on Tuesday morning reported 815 new corona patients, based on about 2,500 tests performed. This is a stunning rate of infections per tests – 32.6%. In comparison, Israel’s Health Ministry reported Tuesday morning the diagnosis of 1,227 patients out of 57,428 – 2.14%, which is above the needed 1%, but almost nill compared with Gaza’s figures.
The number of active patients in the Gaza Strip reached 9,627 and the number of deaths 111, which, considering the published rates, suggests many positive patients remain unreported.
In this regard, a senior official in the Gaza Health Ministry noted Monday that 5,600 samples have not yet been tested and according to the detection rate in Gaza (25% – 30%) it can be estimated that there are 2,000 unreported patients out there.
Due to the inability to meet the required number of tests, the Gaza Health Ministry will soon change the testing procedures so that only groups at risk, with symptoms, are tested.
Meanwhile, WAFA reported on Tuesday that Health Minister Mai al-Kaileh had announced 2,536 new Covid-19 cases and 16 fatalities in the Palestinian Authority, marking the highest daily number of cases since the pandemic outbreak in March.
Among the 2,536 cases, 226 were recorded in Hebron, 336 in Shechem, 199 in Bethlehem, 80 in Qalqilia, 187 in Ramallah and al-Bireh, 145 in Jenin, 11 in Jericho and the Jordan Valley, 110 in Salfit, 124 in Tulkarm, 47 in Tubas, 77 in the Arab villages outside Jerusalem, and 179 in eastern Jerusalem.
Al-Kaileh identified the 16 new fatalities as six from the PA, nine from the Gaza Strip, and another from eastern Jerusalem. Out of the PA fatalities, three are from Hebron, and three from Shechem.
Al-Kaileh added that 1,032 Covid-19 patients have recovered and pointed out that 64 Covid-19 patients are still being treated in intensive care units, including 13 who are connected to respirators.