Palestinian medical staff members work at a detection lab for COVID-19 in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Feb. 27, 2021. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye announced on Saturday that tightened precautionary measures against the spread of coronavirus will be imposed in Palestine for 12 more days. (Photo by Luay Sababa/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye announced on Saturday that tightened precautionary measures against the spread of coronavirus will be imposed in Palestine for 12 more days.
Ishtaye told a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah that the new measures will be valid starting Sunday for 12 days, adding that the measures were taken to curb the increasing numbers of infections in the Palestinian territories.
"A full lockdown will be imposed all over the West Bank on Friday and Saturday and the movement of all kinds of vehicles will be prohibited," Ishtaye said.
He said all kindergartens, as well as government and private schools will be shut down for 12 more days for all the grades, except secondary schools.
Ishtaye also said all universities, colleges, training, and educational centers will remain closed, and only members of administrations of these institutions will be allowed to go to work.
"Movement of people and vehicles will be banned every day from 7:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., where all stores and shops will be closed except pharmacies and bakeries," he said.
Ishtaye added that gatherings of people at weddings, parties, and mourning places will also be banned for 12 more days.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said in a statement that Palestine recorded nine fatalities, 1,623 new COVID-19 cases and 1,209 recoveries in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Palestine in March last year, a total of 206,438 people have so far been infected, including 2,236 deaths, she added. Enditem
