The Health Ministry reported Wednesday that 1,182 Israelis tested positive for the coronavirus over the past 24 hours, saying that overall, 62,734 tests were taken on Tuesday. The infection rate currently stands at 1.9%
Thursday saw the highest rate of coronavirus infections in the last six weeks – 1,244 cases.
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Israel has recorded 338,748 coronavirus cases since mid-March, including 2,877 deaths.
There are currently 11,072 active coronavirus patients in the country: 534 patients are hospitalized, 266 are in serious condition, and 94 are on ventilators. Ministry data shows that 940 healthcare workers are currently in quarantine, including 136 doctors and 244 nurses.
Meanwhile, government officials were at odds over the possibility of imposing a third lockdown.
"I do not think that we are at the beginning of a third wave," Associate Director-General of the Health Ministry, Itamar Grotto, said.
In contrast, the Head of Public Health Services, Dr. Sharon Elrai-Price, said that "we are already at the beginning of a third wave."
The Knesset Information Center has reported "a clear and consistent increase in the number of daily coronavirus infections." The weekly average of coronavirus infections has increased as well. More patients above the age of 60 have tested positive, and as a result, the level of morbidity is expected to increase within a week, the report states.
In the meantime, Britain's Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam reported that the country could start distributing a coronavirus vaccine by Christmas but warned that no vaccine would come soon enough to stop significant restrictions on public life during the second wave.
Van-Tam said older people would be first in line for the vaccination, with prioritization decided by an independent committee.
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