Virus death toll rises to 875, with 1,809 new cases confirmed in 24 hours

The number of coronavirus deaths in Israel rose to 875 on Wednesday evening as the Health Ministry updated its COVID-19 figures, which also showed a jump of 1,809 cases in the previous 24 hours.

Eight Israelis succumbed to the virus since Wednesday morning and 17 died since Tuesday night, according to the ministry.

Of the 20,729 active cases, 404 patients were in serious condition, 119 of them on ventilators.

Another 165 Israelis were in moderate condition, with the rest displaying mild or no symptoms, the ministry’s figures showed.

The ministry said 34,042 tests were conducted Tuesday, its highest total in weeks, with 5.9 percent of them coming back positive. It said 22,973 tests had been conducted thus far on Wednesday.

Earlier Wednesday, Ukraine announced it would seal its borders to foreigners through September to curb rising coronavirus infections, blocking Israeli and Jewish pilgrims from traveling to the city of Uman for the Rosh Hashanah holiday.

The announcement of the entry ban came after the official leading Israel’s response to the pandemic, Ronni Gamzu, asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to prevent the pilgrimage, fearing returning pilgrims could drive up infection rates in the Jewish state.

Last week, ministers refused for a third time to approve Gamzu’s “traffic light” plan, reportedly due to opposition from ultra-Orthodox ministers, who oppose restrictions that could shutter synagogues in high-infection areas.

Gamzu’s plan outlines restrictions to be imposed during the High Holiday period, which begins next month.

The plan would only place restrictions on cities with high morbidity rates, where the rate of infection is not slowed by September 10. The restrictions would take effect starting from Rosh Hashanah until October 11, after the Sukkot holiday.