Israel surpasses 2,000 new coronavirus cases for first time in 2 months

For the first time in two months, Israel has surpassed 2,000 new cases a day, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday.There were 2,279 new diagnoses on Monday – 3.2% of the 72,000 people screened. Overall, 344 patients were in serious condition, including 130 who are intubated. The death toll hit 3,004. “In the last two days, the number of patients admitted to the underground coronavirus ward at Rambam Medical Center has increased,” the hospital said Tuesday morning in a statement. “After weeks in which things were calming down and the number of inpatients were declining, we have now returned to 50 sick people.”Likewise, at Herzog Medical Center in Jerusalem, where 70% of all coronavirus patients in the country are being treated, the number have reached 78, including 42 in serious condition. The youngest patient is 49 years old. Despite the increase in new cases, last Thursday, the government decided to maintain the standard level of restrictions over the Hanukkah holiday. However, the cabinet agreed that if at any point Israel exceeds 2,500 new coronavirus cases a day or reaches a reproduction rate (R) of 1.32 – every three sick people infect four more – a period of “tightened restraint” will be applied.This tightening will last three weeks. If the reproduction rate falls to one or lower by the end of that period, the current restrictions will be reimposed. If the R rate has risen or remains at its current level, the country will head into a lockdown.

During the period of tightened restraint, shops, malls and marketplaces would be closed. Gatherings would be limited to 10 people in closed spaces and 20 in open spaces. The education system would stay open in green and yellow cities, but would close in orange and red ones.While the country has not yet reached the dreaded 2,500 daily infections figure, a report by the Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center said Tuesday that Israel is likely to hit that number by the end of the month.Efforts are underway to try to keep Israel out of lockdown until enough people can be vaccinated against the disease. But coronavirus commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash told 103 FM radio on Tuesday that, “If the steps fail and we see another increase in morbidity, we will have to completely lock down again.”Ash estimated that if Israel could maintain its level of infection until around the time of Passover, by then, “we will return to life, but it depends on the immunization rate. Therefore, passing along correct information and dealing with fake news are at the forefront of our interests.”Ash was alluding to the fact that the Health Ministry has embarked on a three-part campaign to ensure the public believes in the safety of the coronavirus vaccines. If not enough people vaccinate, health experts maintain, then the vaccine might not have enough impact. The virus is spreading throughout the country, including once again in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. Bnei Brak saw 146 new cases in the last day, for example, and some 6% of people who were screened there tested positive. Likewise, several ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods Of Jerusalem and the city of Modi’in Illit turned orange.There are 41 red cities in Israel and 48 that are orange. Together, they account for around 60% of all infections. Source