Over 20 more schools closed as Israel sees largest daily virus rise in a month
Education Ministry says 301 students, teachers have tested positive for COVID-19 during fresh outbreak, leading to shuttering of 87 educational institutions across country
Over 20 more schools were closed Thursday due to coronavirus infections, as Israel recorded the largest single day rise in coronavirus infections in over a month.
According to the Education Ministry, 87 schools and daycares have now been closed to stem the spread of the virus, up from 65 earlier in the day.
The ministry said 301 students and teachers have tested positive for COVID-19 during the fresh outbreak, with another 13,696 people in quarantine because of potential exposure to the virus.
The latest school closures included at least two in Tel Aviv where a teacher and several students tested positive for COVID-19.
A school in the northern city of Safed was also shuttered after a staff member and van driver were diagnosed with COVID-19.
All 250 students and staff were ordered into home quarantine.
The school was identified by the Ynet news site as the “Bat Ayin” ultra-Orthodox elementary school for boys.
The closures came a day after the government said 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 after two months of closures, students and teachers are required to wear face masks and keep to strict hygiene practices.
Israelis schools began reopening in stages last month. On May 3, the first day of classes, just 60 percent of eligible students attended, a number that later increased before dropping in the wake of the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
The Health Ministry, which has reportedly been pushing to reintroduce a nationwide closure of schools, says the rising number of infections among students is the primary factor in Israel’s recent spike in cases.
The ministry on Thursday evening reported 118 new infections over the past 24 hours, the largest daily increase since May 2.
The number of active cases ticked up to 2,191, with 17,495 infections recorded since the start of the pandemic.
Among those who were sick, 30 were in serious condition, 23 of whom were on ventilators. Another 33 were in moderate condition and the rest had mild symptoms.
No additional fatalities were reported, with the death toll remaining at 291.
The Health Ministry also said 12,929 tests were carried out Wednesday, a marked rise from recent days.
According to ministry data, Jerusalem, Israel’s largest city, led all municipalities in the country with 53 new cases in recent days.
It was followed by Tel Aviv-Jaffa (25), Beersheba (17), Bnei Brak (15), Ashdod (14) and Rahat (10), with the other infections scattered across the country.
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.
