A Palestinian who is put in quarantine takes pictures with his cell phone from his room at Angel Hotel in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, on March 7, 2020. The governor of the West Bank district of Bethlehem ordered on Saturday a total shutdown of the district until Monday night, except for the health sector, according to an official press statement. Palestine on Saturday announced that the number of COVID-19 cases in Palestine has risen to 19 after three new cases were confirmed. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The governor of the West Bank district of Bethlehem ordered on Saturday a total shutdown of the district until Monday night, except for the health sector, according to an official press statement.
The decision to shut down Bethlehem was made following the declared state of emergency in Palestine, the governor Kamil Hmeid said.
"The measure was taken to block the spread of the coronavirus and restore public security in the district," said the statement, adding Palestinian security forces were deployed in the district to control public movement.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian emergency committee formed on Thursday will evaluate the situation and send its recommendations to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye.
After the Palestinian Health Ministry announced on Friday that the number of COVID-19 cases had risen to 16 in Bethlehem, a series of tight measures have been taken in the district and all over the West Bank.
The measures included the closure of churches, mosques, schools, universities and cancelling reservations in hotels for foreign tourists.
In a press statement on Saturday, Musa Haddid, mayor of Ramallah city, announced the postponement of all activities in the district in March.
The efforts to sterilize mosques, churches, and homes in the district have started, according to Haddid.
In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Businessmen Association called for suspending all commercial activities in the coastal enclave as a precaution against the virus.
In an emailed press statement, the association announced its decision to cancel all meetings, workshops, and conventions of the private sector.
"The decision to suspend our activities was made following President Mahmoud Abbas' declaration of emergency for one month in fear of a large spread of the virus in the Palestinian territories," it said.
Schools and universities have shut down in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip until a full evaluation of the situation in the enclave.
A Health Ministry committee, which convened in Gaza on Friday, announced that the Gaza Strip is free of the virus.
