Xinhua
11 Jan 2022, 11:49 GMT+10
GAZA, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Health Ministry run by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza on Monday warned that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 would rapidly spread in the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks.
"There are deep concerns and fear that the Gaza Strip will witness in the coming weeks a strong and uncontrolled wave of Omicron variant," health ministry official Majdi Dhair told Xinhua.
He said the several cases recently identified "weren't among returning travelers from abroad," which means that Omicron is already spreading in communities, and there are possible cases that the ministry doesn't know about.
"We have a fear that we're facing a rapid spread of the disease that will also be very violent and increase the number of patients needing urgent medical care," Dhair said, adding that the ministry in Gaza "can't deal with it."
On Sunday, Dhair urged the international community to pressure Israel to let more medical equipment into the Gaza Strip, including ventilators and oxygen.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank has reported 291 new Omicron cases in the Palestinian territories combined so far this week, up from 49 last week.
Get a daily dose of Israel Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Israel Herald.
More InformationTASHKENT, Uzbekistan: Uzbek authorities said a powerful explosion on September 28 at a warehouse near Tashkent's airport killed one person ...
TALLAHASSEE, Florida: The Florida Lottery said this week that the second-largest lottery winner in U.S. history has come forward to ...
LONDON, UK: This week, the Global Financial Centers index showed that New York remains the world's leading financial center, with ...
KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan: In a significant milestone for its defense capabilities, Taiwan has unveiled its first domestically developed submarine. Although it ...
HONIARA, Solomon Islands: Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed that he opted out of a Pacific Islands leaders' summit at the ...
SACRAMENTO, California: Intending to raise some US$160 million per year to help prevent gun violence, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed ...
STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Swedish lithium-ion battery producer Northvolt announced this week that it would build a $5.2 billion gigafactory in the ...
SACRAMENTO, California: Fast food workers will now receive $20 per hour in California, after the governor signed a fast food ...
BEIJING, China: In a deal worth US$10 billion at list prices this week, state-owned carrier China Eastern Airlines announced that ...
BEIJING, China: This week, China Evergrande Group said its founder and chairman, Hui Ka Yan, is being investigated over suspected ...
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, California: In his opening statement this week in the first U.S. trial over allegations that a car autopilot ...
SEATTLE, Washington: As part of Washington's efforts to stop Big Tech from monopolizing the most lucrative parts of the internet, ...