Ramallah, July 14 (RHC)-- The Palestinian Authority imposed a night-time and weekend curfew on the occupied West Bank for the coming 14 days to try and rein in rising coronavirus numbers.    

"Travel will be prohibited daily from 8 pm (17:00 GMT) to 6 am in all governorates," as well as from Thursday evening to Sunday morning, Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem told a news conference.   

The Palestinian health ministry said that there have so far been more than 6,150 confirmed cases of COVID 19 infection, with 33 dead.

In the addition to the general dawn-to-dusk curfew, major cities Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and Bethlehem, will be under a total lockdown until Thursday evening, he said, while travel between districts will be banned for two weeks.   

Only pharmacies and bakeries will be allowed to open.  "It is strictly forbidden to organise weddings, funerals and parties," said Melhem, adding that Palestinians were also barred from going to work in Israeli settlements.