Israel tells thousands to quarantine
Palestinians, Iranians start new restrictions
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel said Sunday it has ordered thousands of people into quarantine as Palestinians in the West Bank returned to life under lockdown amid a surge in coronavirus cases in both areas.
Israel’s Health Ministry said Sunday “many” messages had been sent to Israelis after the renewed involvement of the Shin Bet domestic security agency’s phone surveillance program. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that more than 30,000 people were notified they must enter quarantine since Thursday.
Weeks ago, both Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank appeared to have contained outbreaks after imposing strict measures early on during a first wave of infections. But after reporting just a handful of new cases a day in early May, both areas have experienced a steady uptick in cases following an easing of restrictions.
“We are at the height of a new corona offensive. This is a very strong outbreak that is growing and spreading in the world and also here,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet.
“We are in a state of emergency,” he said, adding that Israel would need to clamp down more to rein in the virus.
Israel is reporting around 1,000 new cases a day, higher than its peak during the previous wave. Late Sunday, the parliament’s coronavirus committee voted to impose new restrictions limiting gatherings in bars, synagogues and function halls to 50 people. More restrictions are expected in the coming days. It is requiring citizens to wear masks and has urged more stringent social distancing.
Since the start of the outbreak, Israel has seen more than 29,000 cases and 330 deaths. More than 17,000 people have recovered.
In the West Bank, residents have been ordered since Friday to remain at home unless they need to buy food or medicine. Movement between cities and towns is restricted. The lockdown is expected to last five days.
On Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas extended a state of emergency in the territory for 30 days, a measure that allows officials to impose additional virus restrictions, including extending lockdowns, banning movement between cities and deploying security forces.
Elsewhere in the region the virus was also on the rise.
Iran on Sunday instituted mandatory mask-wearing as fears mount over newly spiking reported deaths from the coronavirus.
Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said there were
2,560 new confirmed cases since Saturday, with 163 new deaths. That put its death toll since the start of the outbreak at more than 11,500, out of 240,438 confirmed cases.
Elsewhere around the world:
India has reported another record 24-hour jump in coronavirus cases.
The Health Ministry added 24,850 confirmed cases Sunday, bringing the nationwide total to 673,165, making India the fourth hardest-hit in the world behind the U.S., Brazil and Russia.
India’s death toll rose to 19,268.
Residents of the town of Sonoyta, across from Lukeville, Arizona, briefly blocked the main road leading south from the U.S. border over the weekend over fears of coronavirus outbreaks.
The mayor of Sonoyta, José Ramos Arzate, issued a statement Saturday “inviting U.S. tourists not to visit Mexico.”
Local residents organized to block the road with their cars on the Mexican side Saturday.
Ramos Arzate wrote that people from the United States should only be allowed in “for essential activities, and for that reason, the checkpoint and inspection point a few meters from the Sonoyta-lukeville AZ crossing will continue operating.”