The coronavirus has claimed its first Israeli fatality over the weekend – an 88-year-old man from Jerusalem who contracted the virus at the nursing where he resided.
The Health Ministry said Saturday that 945 Israeli have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Fifteen patients are said to be in serious condition, 17 are in moderate condition and the rest are experiencing only mild symptoms. As of Sunday, 37 Israelis have recovered from the virus.
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The ministry has increased testing for the virus from some 500 daily tests to around 2,200. A ministry official said Friday that the number of tests is expected to increase to 3,000 a day this week and 5,000 by the following week, as per Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed.
The official explained that the surge in the number of coronavirus diagnoses can be partially attributed to increased testing throughout the country.
On Friday, COVID-19, the diseased caused by the virus, claimed the life of Aryeh Even, a resident of the Nofim nursing home in Jerusalem.
So far, three of the home's residents and six among its staff have been diagnosed with the virus.
Even, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Israel from Hungary in 1949, was hospitalized in the isolation ward for coronavirus patients at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem about a week ago. He had suffered from several pre-existing conditions prior to contracting the coronavirus, placing him at higher risk for developing COVID-19 disease.
He is survived by his four children, 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
On Thursday, the Health Ministry issued strict guidelines seeking to curb the spread of the virus. Israelis are ordered to remain in their homes unless it is absolutely necessary to leave.
Visiting parks, beaches, pools, libraries, and museums is prohibited, as are all social interactions.
At this time, all essential services will remain open, including supermarkets, pharmacies, and most medical services.
