Source::Xinhua
RAMALLAH,
Following a flattening coronavirus curve, Palestine decided on Saturday to ease lockdown restrictions across the West Bank starting Sunday until April 12.
In a statement, Palestine's Government Spokesman Ibrahim Melhem announced a set of measures for easing restrictions, while keeping some preventative measures, including mask and social distancing requirements. Melhem announced the reopening of kindergartens and all public and private schools for students from first to sixth grade on April 11.
But remote learning will continue for the remaining grades, he said. Commercial stores and restaurants are allowed to reopen while maintaining strict health measures and at a maximum capacity of 50 percent of their staff, Melhem said, adding that banks are asked to operate at an emergency pace. He said the full lockdown on Fridays and Saturdays and the night lockdown from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. all weekdays will remain in effect.
Meanwhile, Palestine extended its coronavirus-related state of emergency by a month in a bid to consolidate achievements in coronavirus control. The state of emergency was imposed for the first time in March last year following the discovery of the first cases of the disease in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. It has been either renewed or extended since then. On Saturday, the Health Ministry said coronavirus claimed the lives of 24 people in Palestine as 1,651 new cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours.
In its daily report on coronavirus in Palestine, the ministry said 200 coronavirus patients are getting treatment in intensive care, including 63 who are on ventilators.
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