There are 20,533 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Israel as of Motzei Shabbos, an increase of 268 new cases in the past day. The number of active cases has risen to 4,598 with 39 patients in serious condition, of whom 29 are ventilated. The death toll has risen to 305. A total of 349 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed from Thursday to Friday, the first time that over 300 cases were diagnosed in one day since April. According to a report by the IDF’s Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, Israel is currently experiencing a second wave of the coronavirus with different characteristics than the first one. “If no action is taken and the current infection rate does not significantly decrease, in a month, the number of new daily infections will be over 1,000 and the number of dead will reach many hundreds,” the report stated. “This situation could lead to extremely difficult financial decisions, even to closure.” The report recommended that five steps be implemented to stem the current spread of the coronavirus, including re-evaluating the recent easement of restrictions; nationwide campaigns to increase public awareness of the danger of the virus; increased enforcement of health ministry regulations; relocation of coronavirus patients from their homes to coronavirus hotels; and implementing more efficient contact tracing. The Health Ministry announced on Friday that it is hiring an extra 300 contact tracers to carry out epidemiological investigations on coronavirus carriers. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that there won’t be any continued easing of restrictions until the current spike of cases is flattened. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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