- Title: Gaza resumes coronavirus testing amid shortages
- Date: 13th April 2020
- Summary: GAZA CITY, GAZA (APRIL 13, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEDICAL TEAM CHECKING NEW MACHINE FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTS TEAM MEMBER UNPACKING MACHINE MEDICAL TEAM CHECKING MACHINE TEAM MEMBERS WEARING FACE MASKS SIGN FOR CENTRAL LABORATORY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY OFFICIAL, AYMAN HALABI, SAYING: "It is an excellent addition to the machines that we have in the central laboratory (of Gaza) which increases the laboratory ability to test samples." GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ASHRAF AL-QIDRA AT OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ASHRAF AL-QIDRA, SAYING: "We received in the central laboratory a new machine to test PCR, it is a donation from Rahma Worldwide organisation and we got it through the World Health Organization (WHO)." RAFAH, GAZA (APRIL 13, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF PALESTINIAN HAMAS SECURITY FORCES WEARING PROTECTIVE GEAR AT RAFAH BORDER CROSSING
- Embargoed: 27th April 2020 13:44
- Keywords: Gaza Health Israel Palestinians coronavirus tests
- Location: GAZA CITY AND RAFAH, GAZA
- City: GAZA CITY AND RAFAH, GAZA
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C9BR8SN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Coronavirus testing has resumed in the Gaza Strip after Israel allowed five testing kits purchased by the World Health Organization (WHO) into the enclave, a Gaza health ministry spokesman said on Monday (April 13).
But the spokesman, Ashraf al-Qidra, said the kits would be of "limited immediate help" because they could be used to test only about 500 people in a densely populated territory of two million.
The machine was donated by a U.S.-based charity, Qidra said.
Gaza has 13 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, all in quarantine.
Israeli and Palestinian officials said that in addition to the testing kits, Israel has allowed a PCR machine into the territory. The equipment analyses testing samples to determine whether they contain the genetic fingerprint of the coronavirus.
(Production: Arafat Barbakh, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Nihad Shana, Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None