Health Ministry data released Monday morning show Israel has 35,867 active cases of the coronavirus, 3,499 of which were confirmed on Sunday. With 72,768 people testing for COVID-19 that day, the infection rate stands at 4.9%. There are currently 609 people in serious condition, 153 of whom are on ventilators. So far, 3,240 people have died.
According to the Military Intelligence's national coronavirus information center, the infection rate has been on the rise for a few weeks, doubling within a month, data that indicates a significant spike in community morbidity. According to the center, in order to shorten the lockdown imposed on Sunday, the high rate of the viral spread must be halted.
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To this end, gatherings must be restricted, closed spaces should be properly ventilated, and mask-wearing so that both the nose and the mouth are covered in addition to adhering to the rest of the coronavirus guidelines.
Israel entered a third lockdown aimed at bringing down the number of daily infections to below 1,000 and the reproduction rate to below 1at 5:00 p.m., Sunday. According to the framework approved by the government Wednesday night, the lockdown is set to last two weeks but will be extended by another two weeks if morbidity dates do not improve.
As part of the lockdown, Israelis will need to remain within 1,000 meters (around 300 ft.) of their places of residence and will be banned from entering other people's homes. Gatherings will be limited to up to 20 people outside, and 10 people inside.
Commerce will be shut down outside of deliveries, and public transportation will run at 50% capacity. Businesses that do not accept customers will be able to work at 50% capacity.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein on Monday morning noted 379,000 people have received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine since Israel kicked off its inoculation campaign last week. He noted Israel was close to administering 100,000 doses a day.
Edelstein attributed the achievement to "the amazing work of Health Ministry staff, healthcare providers, hospitals, and Magen David Adom, and more than anyone else, you, the citizens of Israel, who are enlisting [in the effort] and going to get vaccinated."
"We'll continue like this and we'll increase the pace even further," he said.
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