Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israelis Thursday that without adhering to social distancing and other preventive measures, his government will have to reimpose the total lockdown that was lifted only several weeks ago.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"I have good news and not-so-good news. The good news is that our economy is picking up pace," Netanyahu said, touting the rebound in the economy after weeks of slowing down due to the mandatory shutdown of many businesses and institutions.
Netanyahu Live Coronavirus Statement
🔴 LIVE: Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu gives update on the government's response to COVID-19
פורסם על ידי i24NEWS English ב- יום חמישי, 11 ביוני 2020
"The not-so-good news is our community spread levels," Netanyahu said, referring to the recent uptick of coronavirus infections within Israel. "We are seeing the start of a climb, and the reproduction number [the time it takes for cases to multiply] is 10 days. If this continues, we will have to reintroduce the lockdown measures."
According to the latest data from the Health Ministry, there are more than 18,000 carriers in Israel, including 2,869 of whom are sick with COVID-19, the respiratory disease associated with the virus. On Wednesday, Israel saw the largest number of new cases since late April: 175 diagnosed carriers.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
