Israel has imposed a lockdown on the city of Bethlehem over coronavirus fears as Palestinian authorities announced a two-week ban on tourists and shuttered the Church of the Nativity.

The moves came after Palestinian authorities said seven cases had been confirmed in the Bethlehem area south of Jerusalem on Thursday and announced a 30-day state of emergency and the cancellation of large gatherings.

All Israelis and Palestinians “are forbidden from entering or leaving the city”, the Israeli defence ministry said in a statement, adding the lockdown had been imposed “in coordination with the Palestinian Authority”.

The Church of the Nativity was closed on Thursday and is among the sites expected to be shuttered until March 20.

“We have decided to prevent the entry of tourists for a period of 14 days and to prevent hotels in all cities from receiving foreigners,” tourism minister Rula Maayah told AFP.

All travel between governorates without permission was now prohibited, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told local TV.

The Palestinian health ministry said the cases had first been detected at a hotel in the Bethlehem area.