There are growing fears that Israel is heading for a third lockdown with the number of new Covid-19 cases steadily rising. 1,568 people tested positive for the virus yesterday, the Ministry of Health reports, the largest number of new infections since mid-October when Israel began easing the second lockdown. Yesterday's number was up from 1,187 on Tuesday and 1,245 on Monday.
A record 69,000 people were tested yesterday with a 2.3% positive rate. The R (reproduction) number has risen to 1.2 - over 1indicates the number of daily infections will continue to rise.
Ministry of Health public health services division head Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis warned of the possible need for a third national lockdown but said that she hoped it could be avoided.
339,939 Israelis have contracted Covid-19 since the pandemic began and there are currently 11,751 active cases. There are 267 people hospitalized in a serious condition with coronavirus including 99 on ventilators. 2,883 people have died from the virus in Israel including a 74 year-old man who died yesterday after being re-infected with the virus - the first such known case in Israel.
The Central Bureau of Statistics announced today that there have been 10.4% surplus deaths in Israel than would have occurred because of Covid-19.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 3, 2020
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