GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Ministry of National Economy in the Gaza Strip allowed on April 27 restaurants and cafes to reopen. This comes as part of the government measures to ease restrictions previously imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the enclave.
The Gaza Strip is still maintaining a low number of cases, as the Ministry of Health recorded 17 infections since March 21. As of the end of April, 12 individuals had recovered and seven remain under medical observation in Gaza hospitals. No confirmed cases have been registered since April 23.
On April 28, Abdel Nasser Sobh, director of the World Health Organization office in Gaza, warned that it is only a matter of time for the coronavirus to spread in Gaza.
As a precautionary measure, the crisis cell to confront the pandemic formed by Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, in cooperation with government agencies, issued a decision to close wedding halls, restaurants and cafes on March 21. The measures have forced business owners to lay off up to 5,000 workers and incur huge losses.
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