Over 100 new infections confirmed as virus death toll nears 300

The Health Ministry on Sunday evening reported three more fatalities from the novel coronavirus, bringing the national death toll since the start of the pandemic to 298.

There were no details immediately provided on the latest fatalities. Thirteen people have died of COVID-19 in Israel in the past week, including seven since Friday.

According to official figures, 118 new infections were recorded since Saturday evening, bringing the national total of cases to 17,870. The number of daily cases has hovered around 100 for eight days, even as testing rates climbed considerably.

Of the 2,481 active cases, 28 people were in serious condition, including 24 on ventilators, according to official figures. Another 39 people were in moderate condition and the rest have mild symptoms.

After a sustained drop in the daily infection rate, Israel has seen a jump in new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, with health officials attributing much of the rise to schools.

According to Health Ministry figures, 43 cases have been confirmed in relatively unscathed Tel Aviv-Jaffa over the past three days, compared with 37 in Jerusalem, which had previously seen the largest outbreak.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warming Sunday against what he called a “serious slackening in keeping the rules” aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, saying that Israel was still at grave risk from the pandemic and imploring the public to do more to contain the country’s resurgent outbreak.

“As I keep saying, the virus is here. It is neither my imagination nor anyone else’s,” he warned.

“Anyone who says that there was no danger in the first place, or that there is no danger now, is misleading the public and encouraging behavior that endangers public health and the lives of many,” the prime minister seethed.

“Part of the clear increase that we have seen in the last eight days in the rate of infection in Israel is due, as was expected, to the easing of restrictions we have made in order to open our economy. But some also stems significantly from a serious slackening in keeping the rules on masks, social distancing, and hygiene.”

On Saturday, Channel 12 news reported that the outgoing director-general of the Health Ministry urged senior staff to operate under the assumption that the country is in the midst of a fresh coronavirus outbreak, while acknowledging that the magnitude of this “second wave” is unknown. Moshe Bar Siman-Tov denied making the comments and told the network a second wave is not inevitable “if we operate properly.”

“But we are in the midst of a rise in cases. It is definitive, real and tangible, and it will take time for us to understand its full extent,” Bar Siman-Tov added.

130 schools closed, 17,000 in quarantine

The Education Ministry said Sunday that 130 schools and kindergartens have been shuttered in the past 10 days, up by 24 since Saturday.

Additionally, 17,605 students and staff members are in quarantine, 1,282 more than Saturday. So far, 352 students and staff members nationwide have diagnosed with the virus in the current wave, including 22 over the past 24 hours.

The government said this week it would leave schools open, but use targeted closures anywhere a coronavirus case is found to help stem the recent spike in infections. Though classes resumed last month after a two-month closure, students and teachers are required to wear face masks and are supposed to keep to strict hygiene practices.

Education Ministry officials met on Sunday to discuss the renewed outbreak. According to Channel 12, no major decisions were reached at the meeting, though schools were to be given free rein to decide how to best separate students and uphold social distancing rules.

Also Saturday, four lawmakers from the predominantly Arab Joint List were told to enter self-quarantine after MK Sami Abou Shahadeh, a member of the party, contracted the virus.

Due to Abou Shahadeh’s infection, the Knesset said plenum meetings will be held in a restricted format and committee sessions will require the approval of Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin to convene. MKs and ministers will only be allowed to bring two aides apiece and the Knesset said lawmakers who do not need to go to the parliament building should refrain from doing so, according to the Ynet news site.

The jump in new cases came after the daily infection rate steadily dropped through much of May, with Israel easing restrictions on movement, economic activity and gatherings that were put in place to contain the virus.