UN humanitarian coordinator Jamie McGoldrick has warned that there can be frightening consequences of any potential coronavirus outbreak in the besieged Gaza Strip.
McGoldrick told UN News that a possible coronavirus outbreak in Gaza would be appalling because of the Israeli blockade and the weak health system in the coastal enclave.
The UN official also voiced concern that the population would get stranded in the densely populated territory if the virus started to spread.
He pointed out that there were contacts with Palestinian officials and the World Health Organization to work on improving the health system in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He affirmed that the UN was working with international donors to meet Gaza’s urgent need for humanitarian aid for the next two months.
The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza on Saturday confirmed the first two cases of coronavirus.
Deputy health minister Yousef Abul-Reesh told a news conference that the two Palestinians had returned from Pakistan through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Thursday and were placed in quarantine upon arrival.
