Several churches in Bethlehem including the Church of the Nativity have been temporarily closed for 14 days according to an order from the Palestinian Ministry of Health after some suspected cases at a Bethlehem hotel, RFI reports.
Imad Shahadeh, head of the local health directorate, told AFP that a group of Greek tourists had visited the hotel in late February, with two later discovered to have the virus.
“We respect the authorities’ decision because safety comes first,” the church official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
The Church of the Nativity is expected to witness tens of thousands of visitors and worshippers for the Easter holiday next month.
More than 3,150 cases of the virus have been reported across the Middle East.
Photography courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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