Days of Palestine – Gaza
Cautioning that some cases of Omicron infection have been reported in the Gaza Strip, the Health Ministry on Monday warned a fast-spreading of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
In light of the continued obstruction of the entry of necessary medical devices by the Israeli occupation, the Ministry said in a statement that the fears lie in the recording of a large number of cases of the new COVID-19 mutation, which needs health care above the level of medical capabilities.
The Ministry appealed to human rights and international organizations to intensify their pressure on the occupation to allow the entry of the necessary medical devices and equipment to confront the new mutator.
It is noteworthy that the “Omicron” mutant was discovered for the first time in South Africa, in late November 2021, and it continues its rapid spread in the countries of the world, becoming the dominant one in “Corona” cases instead of the “Delta” mutant.
In late December 2021, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced the first case of Omicron coronavirus variant had been identified in the coastal enclave.
“We are on the brink of difficult days. We will certainly see a fourth wave, and as in the rest of the world, we believe it will be a severe one,” senior Gaza health official Majdi Their said.
According to Dheir, the infected Gazan had not recently traveled outside the enclave — meaning the variant was likely already beyond their capacity to contain.
“This means that the strain is here and spreading in Gaza right now,” Dheir said.
In the West Bank, Palestinian Authority health officials have identified 23 cases of the Omicron variant. Neither the West Bank nor Gaza has yet seen a corresponding rise in active infections, however, which have hovered around 4,000 for the past few weeks.
The Omicron strain has sent infections shooting up around the world, grounding flights and returning tighter restrictions on gatherings.
Israel and Egypt have imposed a brutal blockade on Gaza Strip since 2007, which is one of the most densely populated places on earth.
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