Israel set another negative record on Wednesday, as the Health Ministry pegged the number of new coronavirus cases diagnosed in the span of 24 hours at 6,782.
So far, Israel has recorded 193,374 cases, including 1,285 deaths. So far, 140,751 Israelis have recovered from the disease.
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Coronavirus commissioner Professor Ronni Gamzu said that while the record number of tests performed between Tuesday and Wednesday –34,400 – partially accounted for the high number of positive tests, it was clear that the outbreak was showing no signs of slowing down.
Gamzu explained that the current infection rate nationwide demands that the lockdown imposed last Friday be intensified.
"It's important to note that we have not been seeing full compliance from the general public – and I'm referring to all sectors, secular and Haredi alike."
He further warned that, given the rise in morbidity, which has sparked concerns that the healthcare system may soon be unable to offer patients adequate care, decision-makers must seriously consider tightening the lockdown, despite its impact on the economy.
The so-called corona cabinet was expected to resume deliberations on the subject on Wednesday afternoon.
After multiple delays, the ministers are expected to vote on a host of new restrictions, including further limits on the private sector's activity, limited rituals and prater services on Yom Kippur, and a ban on Sukkot markets for the Four Species.
The potential shuttering of synagogues during Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish faith – is seen as a highly controversial move that could ruffle the ultra-Orthodox parties' feathers to the point of sparking a coalition crisis.
Shas leader Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who on Tuesday said that he would only support limitations on synagogues if demonstrations were significantly restricted, stressed Wednesday that he believes the synagogues should remain open on Yom Kippur regardless of any other restrictions imposed by the government.
"Synagogues must be allowed to remain open on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year," he tweeted. "They can operate according to the 'purple tag' restricted outline that was already established by the government, just as businesses do".
Deri conceded that synagogues could be closed for the remainder of the lockdown, imposed for the duration of the High Holidays, tweeting, "During the rest of the lockdown, if the Health Ministry objects to people gathering in enclosed spaces, we will all pray outdoors.
"During the lockdown, anyone who wants to attend a protest will do so only in the vicinity of his home. It has to be made clear that the same law applies to both synagogues and protests."
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