WHO: every third Covid test in Gaza comes back positive

In occupied Palestine, a roadmap to a vaccine is unclear as Israel starts its inoculation programme

Palestinian artist Wissam Farhat holds his Christmas tree decorated with protective masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Gaza City. AFP

A Palestinian man exits a mosque near the Saint Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza city which is closed to the public this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. AFP

Palestinian boys look from their family home near the Saint Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church in Gaza city which is closed to the public this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. AFP

A street stays deserted during a complete closure amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Gaza City. EPA

A Plaestinian policeman stands guard in an empty street during a complete closure amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Gaza City. EPA

Closed shops aee reflected on water during a complete closure amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Gaza City. EPA

A picture shows the empty beach during a weekend lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic in Gaza City. AP

A Palestinian woman walks near the main market in Gaza City, closed for the weekend due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. AFP

A man crosses an empty road during a weekend lockdown due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in Gaza City. AFP

A Palestinian man rests outside a closed shop during a lockdown amid the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Gaza City. REUTERS

Every third test is coming back positive in the Gaza strip because of an alarming surge in community transmission, the World Health Organisation told The National.

“Testing is not the reason why there’s been an increase in the number of cases,” said Dr Gerald Rockenshchaub ,WHO head in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"There is a relatively high positivity in cases in Gaza – every third test is coming back positive."

On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, launching Israel's inoculation programme. But the timeline for a vaccine in the occupied territories is still unclear.

“The Palestinian and Israeli economies are so closely interconnected, it would make sense for Israel to put every effort into ensuring that Palestinians get vaccinated. The Israelis aren’t safe until the Palestinians are safe,” Dr Rockenshchaub said.

The global organisation to inoculate developing nations against the coronavirus, known as Covax, is expected to cover 20 per cent of people in the occupied Palestinian territories once a vaccine has been approved, while the Ministry of Health said it is planning to cover another 40 per cent – all the territories' adult population.

But funding, logistics and supply issues with Covax means poorer nations may have to wait until 2024 to receive vaccines, a Reuters report said last week.

Meanwhile, the number of cases in the Gaza strip continue to rise quickly.

The WHO’s latest situation report on the Gaza strip shows 33,000 cases, with hospital beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients at just under 70 per cent occupancy.

But it is not just vaccine availability that could effect uptake.

“I prefer to see the results of the vaccine [on people around the world] before deciding to get vaccinated myself,” said local radio presenter and mother of two Rola Abu Hashem.

But Fatima Mostafa, 71, vehemently opposes the vaccine, opting instead to protect herself using alternative methods.

“I will strengthen my immune system by consuming a diet high in fruit and vegetables, especially lemons,” she said.

Diet has not been proved to protect against the virus.

As the seriousness of the virus's spread around the world began to become clear, the WHO warned of an impending infodemic – a deluge of misleading information about the pandemic.

Others, such as Tasneem Rafeeq, would rather opt for preventative measures such as wearing a face mask and practising social distancing than getting vaccinated, but some are more enthusiastic.

Logistics officer Mohammad Baroud, 28, said he believes a full lockdown and inoculations would help curb the spread of the disease.

“I will get vaccinated if I get the chance because indications in Gaza now show a high probability of getting infected in Gaza," Mr Baroud said.

Dr Rockenshchaub said Gaza’s young population means most cases are relatively mild or asymptomatic.

But the virus has still taken a toll on the job market, and vaccine distribution could help the enclave get back on its feet. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that half of Gazans are currently unemployed, a 3.6 per cent increase from last year's figure, as of the second quarter of 2020.

UN officials are not optimistic.

“The international community should urgently redouble their support to the Palestinian people to enable them to cope with the economic fallout from the pandemic," UN Conference on Trade and Development secretary general Mukhisa Kituyi said in September.