The Health Ministry says 53 coronavirus fatalties at senior living homes during July and August were not included in its official COVID-19 death count.
“Health Minister Yuli Edelstein views this matter very gravely. The minister ordered a thorough check and to bring recommendations before him within a week, including personal recommendations if necessary,” a ministry statement says.
The statement says Chezy Levy, director-general of the ministry, also ordered that all coronavirus virus deaths be reported to a single source representing all medical facilities, including geriatric centers, which didn’t previously report fatalities to the ministry’s “computerized system.”
“Likewike, the ministry is checking whether there were any additional cases that weren’t added,” the statement adds.
According to Health Ministry figures released this morning, there have been 719 coronavirus deaths in Israel since the pandemic began.
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