26 mar 2020
As confirmed cases jump to 2,666, government officials open up an old nuclear bunker as worst case scenario for safe cabinet work; ministers joke that bunker is better against missiles than virus
The government has opened up a war bunker in the Jerusalem hills to help coordinate its campaign against the spread of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.
The bunker, called the “National Management Centre”, was built more than a decade ago because of concern about Iran’s nuclear program and missile exchanges with Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah or Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to officials, it includes living quarters and command facilities and can be accessed from the government complex in Jerusalem and the western foothills leading to Tel Aviv.
“This (bunker) is another tool for managing, controlling, oversight and tracking” the coronavirus, said an official who requested anonymity. “We understand that this crisis will accompany us for an extended period of time yet.”
Defence Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to play down the move, telling an Israel Radio reporter during a news conference that the bunker “is not so relevant (to the crisis). We are not under a missile attack that would require us to be underground.”
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz had earlier joked in an interview with Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM that the bunker had limited usefulness now as “it protects from bombs, but not from microbes”.
On Thursday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 2,666, with eight fatalities. After restricting people’s movements as a precaution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that a nationwide lockdown could be ordered within days.
The government has opened up a war bunker in the Jerusalem hills to help coordinate its campaign against the spread of the coronavirus, officials said on Thursday.
The bunker, called the “National Management Centre”, was built more than a decade ago because of concern about Iran’s nuclear program and missile exchanges with Lebanese Islamist movement Hezbollah or Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to officials, it includes living quarters and command facilities and can be accessed from the government complex in Jerusalem and the western foothills leading to Tel Aviv.
“This (bunker) is another tool for managing, controlling, oversight and tracking” the coronavirus, said an official who requested anonymity. “We understand that this crisis will accompany us for an extended period of time yet.”
Defence Minister Naftali Bennett appeared to play down the move, telling an Israel Radio reporter during a news conference that the bunker “is not so relevant (to the crisis). We are not under a missile attack that would require us to be underground.”
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz had earlier joked in an interview with Tel Aviv radio station 102 FM that the bunker had limited usefulness now as “it protects from bombs, but not from microbes”.
On Thursday, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 2,666, with eight fatalities. After restricting people’s movements as a precaution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that a nationwide lockdown could be ordered within days.
Nofim nursing home in Jerusalem
The Health Ministry says among the latest victims are a 91-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man, who both had underlying health conditions; third fatality is a woman from J'lem nursing home where two other deceased patients contracted the virus
Another three coronavirus patients have died from complications related to COVID-19, bringing Israel's death toll to eight, health officials confirmed Thursday. The number of overall cases, meanwhile, currently stands at 2,666.
Of the latest cases number, 39 patients are in serious condition, 68 in moderate and 2,483 have light symptoms. At least 68 people have recovered from the illness.
There are 432 people in hospital, 1,261 are being treated at home, 325 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and 573 are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The Health Ministry said one of the latest victims is a 91-year-old woman with underlying health conditions, who over the past few days had been hospitalized at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
She might have contracted COVID-19 from her daughter, who works as a nurse in the hospital and who is currently in a home-quarantine, but it's impossible to trace back the precise point of infection.
"The staff in the unit fought for her life day and night with great dedication,” said the hospital in a statement. “We express our condolences to the family members, who have been notified about [the death].”
Another fatality is an 83-year-old man with underlying health conditions who was hospitalized at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak. Doctors at the hospital said he had been hooked-up to a ventilator for the past 10 days and passed away on Thursday morning.
The third victim is an 89-year-old woman who was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. She contracted the illness at "Nofim" assisted living facility from one of the social workers. Two other victims, who died earlier this week, were also residents of the same Jerusalem nursing home.
On Tuesday and Wednesday four coronavirus patients had died in a matter of hours from complications related to the virus.
One of the two latest fatalities is Moshe Halel, 76, a resident of Yehud, a city in central Israel. He suffered from serious underlying health conditions.
He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients. His wife, who also contracted the virus, has also been hospitalized.
The second victim is a 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from a heart disease.
He tested positive for coronavirus after he had already passed away. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
On Tuesday evening, an 87-year-old man and an 67-year old woman both died in a matter of hours.
The woman has been named as Malka Keva from the central city of Bat Yam. According to health officials she suffered from a serious underlying health condition.
She also passed away at Wolfson Medical Center where she had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit for several days.
The male victim also suffered from various underlying health conditions including diabetes, dementia and complications from a recent stroke.
He was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. The man contracted the virus at the same assisted living facility in Jerusalem as the country's first coronavirus victim, 88-year-old Aryeh Ibn, who passed away last Friday.
The Health Ministry says among the latest victims are a 91-year-old woman and an 83-year-old man, who both had underlying health conditions; third fatality is a woman from J'lem nursing home where two other deceased patients contracted the virus
Another three coronavirus patients have died from complications related to COVID-19, bringing Israel's death toll to eight, health officials confirmed Thursday. The number of overall cases, meanwhile, currently stands at 2,666.
Of the latest cases number, 39 patients are in serious condition, 68 in moderate and 2,483 have light symptoms. At least 68 people have recovered from the illness.
There are 432 people in hospital, 1,261 are being treated at home, 325 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and 573 are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The Health Ministry said one of the latest victims is a 91-year-old woman with underlying health conditions, who over the past few days had been hospitalized at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
She might have contracted COVID-19 from her daughter, who works as a nurse in the hospital and who is currently in a home-quarantine, but it's impossible to trace back the precise point of infection.
"The staff in the unit fought for her life day and night with great dedication,” said the hospital in a statement. “We express our condolences to the family members, who have been notified about [the death].”
Another fatality is an 83-year-old man with underlying health conditions who was hospitalized at the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak. Doctors at the hospital said he had been hooked-up to a ventilator for the past 10 days and passed away on Thursday morning.
The third victim is an 89-year-old woman who was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. She contracted the illness at "Nofim" assisted living facility from one of the social workers. Two other victims, who died earlier this week, were also residents of the same Jerusalem nursing home.
On Tuesday and Wednesday four coronavirus patients had died in a matter of hours from complications related to the virus.
One of the two latest fatalities is Moshe Halel, 76, a resident of Yehud, a city in central Israel. He suffered from serious underlying health conditions.
He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients. His wife, who also contracted the virus, has also been hospitalized.
The second victim is a 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from a heart disease.
He tested positive for coronavirus after he had already passed away. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
On Tuesday evening, an 87-year-old man and an 67-year old woman both died in a matter of hours.
The woman has been named as Malka Keva from the central city of Bat Yam. According to health officials she suffered from a serious underlying health condition.
She also passed away at Wolfson Medical Center where she had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit for several days.
The male victim also suffered from various underlying health conditions including diabetes, dementia and complications from a recent stroke.
He was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital. The man contracted the virus at the same assisted living facility in Jerusalem as the country's first coronavirus victim, 88-year-old Aryeh Ibn, who passed away last Friday.
The Health Ministry says at least 5,240 COVID-19 tests have been conducted over the past 24 hours thuns resulting in a higher number of new diagnoses; 41 patients in serious condition, while 68 others in moderate
Another 325 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Israel, bringing the country's total to 2,495, health officials reported Thursday. There has been another increase in the number of serious cases, which have been rising daily.
The number of Israelis who have died from complications resulting from COVID-19 remains at five, with four patients passing away within hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Of the latest number, 41are in serious condition, 68 are in moderate condition and 2,315 have light symptoms. At least 66 people have recovered from the illness.
There are 1,265 people who are being treated at home, 327 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and the rest are either hospitalized or are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The latest new data shows an increase of 495 new COVID-19 cases in the past 31 hours. The number is in line with health officials' prediction of a drastic jump in the number of cases as the rate of testing for the virus increases on a daily bases.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
The second victim is a 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from a heart disease.
He tested positive for coronavirus after he had already passed away. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
Another 325 people have tested positive for coronavirus in Israel, bringing the country's total to 2,495, health officials reported Thursday. There has been another increase in the number of serious cases, which have been rising daily.
The number of Israelis who have died from complications resulting from COVID-19 remains at five, with four patients passing away within hours on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Of the latest number, 41are in serious condition, 68 are in moderate condition and 2,315 have light symptoms. At least 66 people have recovered from the illness.
There are 1,265 people who are being treated at home, 327 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and the rest are either hospitalized or are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The latest new data shows an increase of 495 new COVID-19 cases in the past 31 hours. The number is in line with health officials' prediction of a drastic jump in the number of cases as the rate of testing for the virus increases on a daily bases.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
The second victim is a 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from a heart disease.
He tested positive for coronavirus after he had already passed away. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
25 mar 2020
Special arrangements made for tens of thousands of Palestinians; situation could effectively shut down Israel's construction industry, which is heavily reliant on Palestinian labor
The Palestinian government has ordered home Palestinian laborers in Israel and in settlements in the West Bank, saying their jobs exposed them to the risk of the coronavirus.
The edict, announced late on Tuesday by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, could effectively shut down Israel's construction industry, heavily reliant on Palestinian labor.
Israel had made special arrangements for many of the about 100,000 Palestinians who typically cross daily from the West Bank to instead stay overnight in Israeli cities before shutting the border on Sunday to curb the spread of the virus.
But while most workers found temporary housing in empty hotels and apartments, several thousand others have had to sleep in buildings still under construction - often the sites where they work, according to industry groups and activists.
Cautioning that improper living conditions could lead to the spread of the coronavirus, Shtayyeh said all Palestinian workers must return home "to protect them and preserve their safety".
Palestinian workers earn more for equivalent work in Israel than in Palestinian cities. But officials have voiced concerns in recent weeks that they could contract and spread the disease when they return home.
"We didn't see this coming. But we understand that it's about health and safety. We'll respect (the Palestinians') decision," said Shay Pauzner, an official with the Israeli Builders' Association.
More than 2,000 cases of infection and five deaths have been reported in Israel, and around 60 cases in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) has limited self-rule.
Early on Wednesday, some 500 Palestinian laborers waited to have their temperature taken by medical authorities at the entrance to the West Bank town of Jericho after returning from an industrial park in a settlement near Jerusalem.
"To maintain our safety, we abided by the instructions ... We are now heading home, and will stay in quarantine for 14 days," said Amin Al-Asali, 55, who had been staying overnight at the Mishor Adumim industrial park.
The repatriation decision followed a public outcry among Palestinians over the alleged mistreatment of a Palestinian laborer whom Israeli authorities sent back to the West Bank this week.
Videos posted to social media showed the visibly ill Palestinian sitting on the roadside at an IDF checkpoint on the West Bank border.
Palestinian officials said he was dumped there by Israeli authorities after checking into an Israeli hospital with a fever. A Palestinian ambulance picked him up at the checkpoint.
Police said he been working without a permit and had shown no sign of coronavirus infection before being sent home.
The Palestinian government has ordered home Palestinian laborers in Israel and in settlements in the West Bank, saying their jobs exposed them to the risk of the coronavirus.
The edict, announced late on Tuesday by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, could effectively shut down Israel's construction industry, heavily reliant on Palestinian labor.
Israel had made special arrangements for many of the about 100,000 Palestinians who typically cross daily from the West Bank to instead stay overnight in Israeli cities before shutting the border on Sunday to curb the spread of the virus.
But while most workers found temporary housing in empty hotels and apartments, several thousand others have had to sleep in buildings still under construction - often the sites where they work, according to industry groups and activists.
Cautioning that improper living conditions could lead to the spread of the coronavirus, Shtayyeh said all Palestinian workers must return home "to protect them and preserve their safety".
Palestinian workers earn more for equivalent work in Israel than in Palestinian cities. But officials have voiced concerns in recent weeks that they could contract and spread the disease when they return home.
"We didn't see this coming. But we understand that it's about health and safety. We'll respect (the Palestinians') decision," said Shay Pauzner, an official with the Israeli Builders' Association.
More than 2,000 cases of infection and five deaths have been reported in Israel, and around 60 cases in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority (PA) has limited self-rule.
Early on Wednesday, some 500 Palestinian laborers waited to have their temperature taken by medical authorities at the entrance to the West Bank town of Jericho after returning from an industrial park in a settlement near Jerusalem.
"To maintain our safety, we abided by the instructions ... We are now heading home, and will stay in quarantine for 14 days," said Amin Al-Asali, 55, who had been staying overnight at the Mishor Adumim industrial park.
The repatriation decision followed a public outcry among Palestinians over the alleged mistreatment of a Palestinian laborer whom Israeli authorities sent back to the West Bank this week.
Videos posted to social media showed the visibly ill Palestinian sitting on the roadside at an IDF checkpoint on the West Bank border.
Palestinian officials said he was dumped there by Israeli authorities after checking into an Israeli hospital with a fever. A Palestinian ambulance picked him up at the checkpoint.
Police said he been working without a permit and had shown no sign of coronavirus infection before being sent home.
Health Ministry reports 439 new cases of virus since Tuesday; man dies in home-isolation, virus suspected as cause of death; Palestinians record first coronavirus-related fatality
Israel's coronavirus sick toll increased by 199 cases since the morning hours and 439 cases since Tuesday and currently stands at 2,369 confirmed cases, 39 of them in serious condition, the Health Ministry announced Wednesday evening.
Sixty-four other patients are hospitalized in moderate condition, 2,197 in light condition and 64 patients have made a full recovery.
The condition of a 45-year-old coronavirus patient who was hospitalized in serious condition at Wolfson Hospital's intensive care unit has deteriorated further on Wednesday.
The hospital said that the man was connected to extracorporeal life support (which temporarily replaces heart and lung function) to stabilize him.
The patient does not smoke and is not suffering from any underlying illnesses.
A man in home-quarantine from Netanya was found dead in his apartment.
The body was sent to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to determine the circumstances of the death.
Health Ministry official Dr. Vered Ezra said on Wednesday that preparations are underway to receive thousands of seriously ill patients but claimed there are currently no shortages in medical supplies in hospitals.
"We have thousands of beds and ventilators prepared and are in the process of procuring additional equipment," Dr. Ezra said.
Israel's coronavirus death toll currently stands at five after two more people passed away within hours of each other overnight Wednesday, from complications associated with coronavirus.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
A second victim is an 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from heart disease.
The man tested positive for coronavirus after his death. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
The Palestinian Authority reported its first coronavirus-related death in a 60-year-old woman from the West Bank village of Biddu near Ramallah, who died on Wednesday.
The Palestinians have confirmed 64 cases of the virus so far.
Israel's coronavirus sick toll increased by 199 cases since the morning hours and 439 cases since Tuesday and currently stands at 2,369 confirmed cases, 39 of them in serious condition, the Health Ministry announced Wednesday evening.
Sixty-four other patients are hospitalized in moderate condition, 2,197 in light condition and 64 patients have made a full recovery.
The condition of a 45-year-old coronavirus patient who was hospitalized in serious condition at Wolfson Hospital's intensive care unit has deteriorated further on Wednesday.
The hospital said that the man was connected to extracorporeal life support (which temporarily replaces heart and lung function) to stabilize him.
The patient does not smoke and is not suffering from any underlying illnesses.
A man in home-quarantine from Netanya was found dead in his apartment.
The body was sent to Abu Kabir Forensic Institute to determine the circumstances of the death.
Health Ministry official Dr. Vered Ezra said on Wednesday that preparations are underway to receive thousands of seriously ill patients but claimed there are currently no shortages in medical supplies in hospitals.
"We have thousands of beds and ventilators prepared and are in the process of procuring additional equipment," Dr. Ezra said.
Israel's coronavirus death toll currently stands at five after two more people passed away within hours of each other overnight Wednesday, from complications associated with coronavirus.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
A second victim is an 87-year-old man from Petah Tikva who was admitted on Tuesday evening to the Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak with shortness of breath and pneumonia. Health officials say he also suffered from heart disease.
The man tested positive for coronavirus after his death. The hospital said he had been wheeled into a unit dedicated to coronavirus patients immediately upon his arrival and passed away five hours later.
The Palestinian Authority reported its first coronavirus-related death in a 60-year-old woman from the West Bank village of Biddu near Ramallah, who died on Wednesday.
The Palestinians have confirmed 64 cases of the virus so far.
In light of Israel’s mistreatment and abuse of Palestinians working inside Israel and the rise in the number of Israelis infected with coronavirus, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh yesterday called on all workers to return home and quarantine themselves for 14 days upon their return home.
He said in a statement that the workers should return to their homes for their own safety and in anticipation of severe restriction on movement in Israel in order to contain the deadly disease.
Shtayyeh said that the workers who show any sign of corona symptoms, should report to the nearest health center to their place of residence and abide by the instructions of the local authorities.
The call by the prime minister also came as Israel continued to deport workers who showed signs of illness and often just abandon them at West Bank checkpoints.
Issam Abu Bakr, governor of the northern West Bank district of Tulkarm, said last night that Israel expelled to the West Bank three workers dismissed by their employers after they fell ill and had high fever.
He said the workers were thrown on the Palestinian side of an Israeli army-manned checkpoint near Tulkarm in very weak conditions where they were later picked up by Palestinian ambulances and taken to a quarantine center in the city.
Another worker was earlier left at a West Bank checkpoint after he fell ill. Tests on this worker later showed that he does not have the corona virus.
Israel had said that it would allow thousands of Palestinian workers, mainly in construction, to remain in Israel for at least two months in order to keep the work going.
However, workers have been complaining of bad living conditions and mistreatment by their employers which prompted the Palestinian Authority (PA) to call on them to return home if they so wish. The PA had previously said it would not allow any of the workers to return to the West Bank after they moved to work and stay in Israel.
Israel has reported over 2000 cases of coronavirus and five deaths.
He said in a statement that the workers should return to their homes for their own safety and in anticipation of severe restriction on movement in Israel in order to contain the deadly disease.
Shtayyeh said that the workers who show any sign of corona symptoms, should report to the nearest health center to their place of residence and abide by the instructions of the local authorities.
The call by the prime minister also came as Israel continued to deport workers who showed signs of illness and often just abandon them at West Bank checkpoints.
Issam Abu Bakr, governor of the northern West Bank district of Tulkarm, said last night that Israel expelled to the West Bank three workers dismissed by their employers after they fell ill and had high fever.
He said the workers were thrown on the Palestinian side of an Israeli army-manned checkpoint near Tulkarm in very weak conditions where they were later picked up by Palestinian ambulances and taken to a quarantine center in the city.
Another worker was earlier left at a West Bank checkpoint after he fell ill. Tests on this worker later showed that he does not have the corona virus.
Israel had said that it would allow thousands of Palestinian workers, mainly in construction, to remain in Israel for at least two months in order to keep the work going.
However, workers have been complaining of bad living conditions and mistreatment by their employers which prompted the Palestinian Authority (PA) to call on them to return home if they so wish. The PA had previously said it would not allow any of the workers to return to the West Bank after they moved to work and stay in Israel.
Israel has reported over 2000 cases of coronavirus and five deaths.
The Health Ministry says 2 more Israelis have died from complications related to COVID-19 since the evening hours, with 37 patients remaining in a serious condition; 54 others in a moderate condition
Another two people have died overnight from complications that resulted from coronavirus, bringing the country's total to five, health officials reported Wednesday. Israel's overall number of COVID-19 cases is now up to 2,030.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
Tuesday saw two people pass away within hours, from complications associated with coronavirus.
In the meantime, of the latest number of infected, 37 in serious condition, 54 are in moderate condition and 1,876 have light symptoms. At least 58 people have recovered from the illness, a significant increase over the recent days.
There are 371 people in hospital, 927 are being treated at home, 203 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and 466 are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The latest new data shows an increase of 472 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The number is in line with health officials' prediction of a drastic jump in the number of cases as the rate of testing for the virus increases on a daily bases.
On Tuesday evening, an 87-year-old man and an 67-year old woman both died in a matter of hours.
The woman has been named as Malka Keva from the central city of Bat Yam. According to health officials she suffered from an underlying health condition.
She passed away at Wolfson Hospital in Holon earlier in the day, where she had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit over the past few days.
The male victim also suffered from various underlying health conditions including diabetes, dementia and complications from a recent stroke.
He was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. The man contracted the virus at the same assisted living facility in Jerusalem as the country's first coronavirus victim, 88-year-old Aryeh Ibn, who passed away last Friday.
Another two people have died overnight from complications that resulted from coronavirus, bringing the country's total to five, health officials reported Wednesday. Israel's overall number of COVID-19 cases is now up to 2,030.
One of the two latest fatalities is a 76-year-old man who suffered from serious underlying health conditions. He was hospitalized on Monday at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer in an intensive case unite dedicated to COVID-19 patients.
Tuesday saw two people pass away within hours, from complications associated with coronavirus.
In the meantime, of the latest number of infected, 37 in serious condition, 54 are in moderate condition and 1,876 have light symptoms. At least 58 people have recovered from the illness, a significant increase over the recent days.
There are 371 people in hospital, 927 are being treated at home, 203 are being treated in a specially designated hotel and 466 are awaiting a decision on how they will be treated.
The latest new data shows an increase of 472 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours. The number is in line with health officials' prediction of a drastic jump in the number of cases as the rate of testing for the virus increases on a daily bases.
On Tuesday evening, an 87-year-old man and an 67-year old woman both died in a matter of hours.
The woman has been named as Malka Keva from the central city of Bat Yam. According to health officials she suffered from an underlying health condition.
She passed away at Wolfson Hospital in Holon earlier in the day, where she had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit over the past few days.
The male victim also suffered from various underlying health conditions including diabetes, dementia and complications from a recent stroke.
He was hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. The man contracted the virus at the same assisted living facility in Jerusalem as the country's first coronavirus victim, 88-year-old Aryeh Ibn, who passed away last Friday.
