Over 10,000 Israelis have now been confirmed as coronavirus carriers, the Health Ministry reported Friday. The ministry also updated the number of corona deaths to 93, saying 13 patients succumbed to the virus after the start of Passover.
Of all corona cases nationwide, 164 patients are listed in serious condition, and 125 of the patients in serious condition are on ventilators. Another 178 patients are listed in moderate condition, with 8,600 listed as light or minor cases. A total of 941 patients were in convalescent facilities on Friday, with another 6,582 receiving treatment at home. Over one thousand (1,061 as of Friday morning) patients have recovered from the virus and been sent home.
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Laniado Hospital in Netanya reported Friday that a patient in her 80s had succumbed to the virus.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem reported the loss of two female corona patients ages 84 and 86, both of whom suffered from "complicated" pre-existing conditions. The coronavirus isolation wing at Shaare Zedek is currently treating 95 patients, 12 of whom are on ventilators.
The Shamir-Assaf Harofeh Medical Center east of Rishon Lezion reported that on Friday, its dedicated coronavirus ward was treating 37 patients, six of whom in serious condition, with four on ventilators.
Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot is treating 11 corona patients, four of whom are in serious condition and on ventilators.
The Health Ministry reported Thursday that the cities with the largest number of corona patients were Jerusalem, with 1,780 cases; Bnei Brak, with 1,681 cases; and Tel Aviv-Jaffa, with 434 cases. The settlement of Eldad came in fourth place, with 226 cases; followed by Ashkelon (220); Petah Tikva (191); and Rishon Lezion (187). As of Thursday night, Modi'in had a total of 184 corona cases; Beit Shemesh had 177; and Ashdod had 168.
Meanwhile, a nurse who works on the maternity ward at Hadassah Medical Center's Mount Scopus campus has tested positive for coronavirus. The 10 newborns who were exposed to her have been sent into isolation care, with their mothers. As
The nurse had been negative when tested on March 30, but when tested again on April 6, she was positive. As of Friday, the source of her infection was unclear. As soon as she was identified as a carrier, the rest of the ward staff who work with the newborns were tested, and all those tests came back negative.
On Thursday, a five-week-old baby was diagnosed with coronavirus and hospitalized in the pediatric ICU at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. The baby is fully conscious and not listed in serious condition.
Also on Friday, the strict curfew enacted on Wednesday afternoon to keep Israelis from spreading coronavirus through intercity travel to spend Passover eve with family was lifted. However, intercity travel was still restricted, with movement from one community to another permitted only in emergency cases or to purchase food. Many police blockades were removed, but there was still a heavy presence by security forces at major intersections.
Israelis are now allowed to leave their places of residence for work. The guidelines that were in place until the seder night curfew remain: people may leave their homes to buy food or medicine; receive urgent medical care; provide help to a person in serious medical condition; and divorced parents may hand off minor children.
Other than these exceptions, people are restricted to a 100-meter distance from their homes. Starting Sunday, anyone out in public must wear a mask. This applies to all adults and children over age six.
The quarantine on the city of Bnei Brak, which has the second-highest number of corona cases in the country, has been eased somewhat. The cabinet decided in a conference call to allow residents of Bnei Brak to leave the city limits in the following cases: for work in a vital service sector; to receive urgent medical treatment or accompany an immediate family member receiving urgent medical treatment; to hand off a minor child to the other custodial parent; or for other vital needs provided approval has been received. These instructions will remain in effect for five days.
