Serious Cases of the Coronavirus in Israel Exceed 500

On Wednesday, the figures published by the Health Ministry showed that the number of seriously ill patients of the coronavirus has reached 553. Of these patients in serious condition, about 104 had been put on ventilators. The total number of patients who were hospitalized in the country on Wednesday was around 1,608, most of whom were in light to moderate conditions. According to the data of the ministry, the total number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus on Tuesday stood at 72,000, which is a new record for daily cases. Meanwhile, the total number of active cases in the country climbed to 393,000.

Since the pandemic began in 2020, there have been a total of two million infections. The data from the ministry also showed that there were around 146,000 school-going children who were in isolation because of COVID-19 infection. There were an additional 142,000 that were also quarantined because they had been exposed to someone infected. However, reports on Wednesday indicated that health ministry officials were considering removing the requirements for quarantine for kids who have been exposed to a carrier but remain asymptomatic. An opinion piece was written by Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton, which said that she was ‘fighting’ against the quarantine policies the government had imposed on children.

One dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to about 24% of children who belong to the 5 to 11 age group and only 12% of them have gotten both doses of the vaccine. Apart from that, there are 8,900 medical workers who are also not coming into work because of exposure or infection. This includes 2,540 nurses and 1,209 doctors. One in 10 staff members has been infected by the coronavirus at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. The director-general of the two hospitals of Hadassah in Jerusalem, Prof. Yoram Weiss said that while the hospital was still functioning, things had gotten very hard because they have 90 COVID-19 patients and a number of flu patients as well.

New rules of isolation were implemented in Israel on Wednesday, which indicates that vaccinated people will need two antigen tests if they are infected but remain asymptomatic. The tests will be conducted on the fourth and fifth day before they are permitted to leave isolation. As for unvaccinated people, a test will be required on the fifth day at a recognized testing facility and home testing cannot be relied upon.

If anyone tests positive on the fourth and fifth day, they will have to stay in quarantine for seven days, without having to take another test. As for people who have symptoms, they will need to stay in isolation for 10 days. Unvaccinated people who get exposed to someone infected will also have to quarantine for five days and take a test on the fifth day at a testing facility. Those who are inoculated will not be required to quarantine if their test is negative, even after coming into close contact with someone infected with the coronavirus.