An-Najah News - One member of the Palestinian community in the United States has died of the coronavirus disease said The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.

This rais the total corona-related death toll among Palestinians in the US to 80, and worldwide to 272.The total confirmed cases among Palestinians in the diaspora reached 6,578.

No new infections were reported among Palestinian-US citizens, with total confirmed cases of 4,030.

An-Najah News - There has been no change in  Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and longtime Palestinian negotiator, health condition since yesterday according to his family.

Hadassah hospital in West Jerusalem, where Erekat is being hospitalized since Sunday when he was admitted in critical condition following complications to his respiratory system after contracting the coronavirus disease

 Erekat, who had a lung transplant in October 2017was connected to an ECMO machine to support his lung function.

“Using this machine allows the blood to be oxygenated while allowing the lungs to rest and avoid ventilator-associated lung injury, particularly of the transplanted lung,” said the statement. 

“He is now well-settled and stable on ECMO with excellent oxygenation - and on reduced mechanical ventilation which is not damaging to the lungs.”it added.