Palestine extends state of emergency due to pandemic

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday issued a presidential decree to extend the country’s state of emergency amid the spread of novel coronavirus.

With the decree, the lockdown has been extended a seventh time.

The Palestinian government initially declared a 30-day lockdown on March 6 after COVID-19 cases were registered in Bethlehem.

As of Friday, Palestine registered 32,817 infections, including 192 deaths and 22,362 recoveries.

* Writing by Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara.