RAMALLAH, Thursday, April 2, 2020 (WAFA) – Twenty-one new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the West Bank today, the highest in a single day since the outbreak of the disease, bringing total in Palestine to 155, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Ministry spokesman Kamal Shakhra said at the daily briefing on coronavirus in Palestine that most of the cases were of Palestinians who worked in Israel and returned home, and those who were in contact with them.

He said of the 21 new cases, 20 were from the Ramallah and Jerusalem-area villages and one in the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

He called on the workers in Israel that as they return home this week as Israel celebrates the Jewish Passover holiday, which starts on Wednesday, to isolate themselves at their homes for two weeks.

The Health Ministry plans to check all the workers at they start returning home, estimating their number at around 60,000.

Israel reported so far over 6300 corona cases and 36 deaths, while Israeli official expect their numbers to soar in the coming days and weeks.

While only 155 cases are confirmed in Palestine so far, including one death and 18 recovered with 12 cases in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority fears this number may also increase if the returning workers are not isolated and properly checked.

Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has urged the World Health Organization to pressure Israel to check all the workers before it sends them home so that they will not thwart his government’s efforts to contain the disease and prevent its spread, as it has successfully done so far.

M.K.