Palestinian Authority orders nightly, weekend coronavirus curfew

Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and Bethlehem put under a four-day lockdown, with only pharmacies and bakeries allowed to remain open; travel between districts banned for two weeks;
AFP|
The Palestinian Authority on Sunday 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.
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  • "Travel will be prohibited daily from 8pm to 6am in all governorates," as well as from Thursday evening to Sunday morning, Palestinian government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem told a news conference.
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    שוטרים פלסטינים
    שוטרים פלסטינים
    Palestinian forces at a police checkpoint in Nablus
    (Photo: EPA)
    In the addition to the general dawn-to-dusk curfew, major cities Ramallah, Hebron, Nablus and Bethlehem, will be under 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 organize weddings, funerals and parties," said Melhem, adding that Palestinians were also barred from going to work in Israeli settlements.
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    חיטוי של עובד שעבר במעבר תרקומיא
    חיטוי של עובד שעבר במעבר תרקומיא
    Health workers disinfecting a Palestinian returning from work in Israel
    (Photo: EPA)
    The West Bank is home to over 2.8 million Palestinians with another 450,000 Israeli settlers.
    In its daily report, the Palestinian health ministry said Sunday that there have so far been over 6,150 confirmed cases of COVID 19 infection, with 33 dead.
    The Palestinian Authority imposed a full West Bank lockdown after the first coronavirus cases were identified in early March, lifting it at the end of May.
    It was reimposed on July 3 and since extended in light of the rising infection data.
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