3 more die from virus, bringing national toll to 264

Health Ministry reports 19 new cases over past 24 hours, while number of active infections drops to 4,052

The Health Ministry on Wednesday evening announced three more coronavirus deaths from the virus since the morning, bringing the national toll to 264.

It also reported 19 new coronavirus cases over the previous 24 hours, while the number of active infections further dropped.

Of the 4,052 active cases, 61 people were in serious condition, 52 of them on ventilators.

Another 48 people were in moderate condition and the rest had mild symptoms.

There have been 12,232 Israelis to have recovered from the virus.

The ministry said that 7,182 tests for the virus were performed Tuesday.

MDA staff performing coronavirus testing (Photo: Magen David Adom Israel)

The number of new infections has slowed dramatically in recent weeks. Israel has gone 10 days without seeing over 100 new confirmed cases in a single day.

Amid the sustained drop in infections, the government has increasingly rolled back restrictions meant to curb the outbreak, opening some schools and allowing many businesses to reopen, and is reportedly planning more such measures.

However, authorities were bracing for a possible second wave of infections after thousands of ultra-Orthodox men gathered Monday night and Tuesday in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and Mount Meron to celebrate Lag B’Omer in violation of guidelines. Hundreds also gathered at a funeral Tuesday for an IDF soldier killed during a West Bank raid.