GAZA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip announced on Wednesday night that seven new cases infected with COVID-19 have been in a quarantine in the southern part of the coastal enclave.
It said in an emailed press statement that the seven cases are security officers, who have contacted with the two cases that had been recorded on Saturday on their arrival from Pakistan through Rafah Border Crossing point with Egypt.
"The Health Ministry affirms that the seven cases were put in special quarantine. They didn't leave the quarantine at Rafah Crossing point and they didn't mix with anyone from outside the quarantine center," said the statement.
The statement affirmed that no cases of COVID-19 were recorded into the Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Palestinian woman was declared dead and two of her relatives, who were infected with the virus, were moved to a quarantine center, according to Ibrahim Melhem, spokesman of the Palestinian government.
The total number of infected Palestinians climbed to 71, including nine in the Gaza Strip and 62 in the West Bank. Melhem said that 16 have already recovered in the West Bank.
Hamas authorities, which has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007, has taken tight precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the enclave, a home for two million people.
