Pandemic claims additional 17 lives in Palestine

ISTANBUL (AA) – Palestine confirmed additional 17 fatalities from the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday.

In a statement, Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said 11 deaths were reported in the occupied West Bank and six in the Gaza Strip.

She said 1,639 people tested positive for the virus, taking the overall tally to 124,641 cases, including 1,079 deaths, and 98,518 recoveries.

The Palestinian minister said 93 patients are still in intensive care units, of whom 30 are on ventilators.

Since starting in China in late December last year, the coronavirus pandemic has spread worldwide, claiming over 1.6 million lives in 191 countries and regions, and causing nearly 71.76 million infections, according to the latest figures from the US' Johns Hopkins University.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara