RAMALLAH, Friday, October 09, 2020 (WAFA) – Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official and secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), has cancelled all his appointments after announcing last night that he has contracted COVID-19, making him the first senior Palestinian official to contract the novel disease.

The following statement was published on Erekat's Twitter account: "The Secretariat of the PLO Executive Committee and the NAD (Negotiations Affairs Department) announce that Dr. Saeb Erekat, the PLO SG and the Head of the Negotiations Dept, has been infected with COVID-19, and wishes him a speedy recovery. We apologize for canceling all his appointments until his complete recovery."

While reported in good condition, Erekat, 65, received a lung transplant in October 2017.

M.K.