Gaza faces surge of COVID-19 infections amid Israeli blockade

Gaza City, April 3 (RHC)-- Coronavirus infections continue to rise in the Gaza Strip despite measures by local authorities to contain the deadly pandemic.  The rapid increase in COVID-19 infections is placing great pressure on Gaza’s health system.

The Gaza Strip has witnessed a surge in coronavirus infections while the number of active cases has tripled since early March.  Since the beginning of the Pandemic over sixty 6,000 Gazans have been infected with COVID-19.

Daily hospitalizations due to coronavirus continue to rise and health facilities struggle to maintain adequate surplus of fully-equipped ICU units.

The Israeli blockade has compounded the struggle of health workers in Gaza, undermining their efforts to contain and detect the spread of the coronavirus.

Rights groups have repeatedly warned of the catastrophic implications of coronavirus spread in the Gaza Strip. Some two million Palestinians in Gaza are at an increasing risk of contracting the virus.

The Israeli regime’s illegal practices and punitive measures continue to disrupt the development of Gaza’s health sector. Gaza’s health system has been battered by the Israeli blockade and multiple wars since 2007.

Health officials have raised the alarm over the rising figures of infections, in the densely populated territory.

The coronavirus pandemic remains a serious concern due to the capacity gaps in the enclave’s health system. Experts say the Israeli blockade must be fully lifted to help avert a humanitarian disaster.