Coronavirus in Israel: New peak recorded as 1,372 new cases

Israel reported some 1,372 new coronavirus cases on Monday – the highest since March – the health ministry announced on Tuesday, as officials prepared to roll back the green pass system.

The coronavirus cabinet is expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss the strategy to contain the current outbreak.

Both systems provide access to such gatherings only to individuals who have been vaccinated, cured or tested a negative coronavirus in the past 72 hours.

In preparation for discussions within the government, Horowitz and Bennett met with representatives of the industries to which the Green Pass is expected to apply.

“We will not drop regulations on the economy of different regions without real dialogue with the people of the region,” Horowitz said during a meeting with gym owners. “Unlike the previous round, this time the Ministry of Health is initiating an open discussion with the heads of the fitness industry, to listen to the needs and understand together how to reduce infections, with minimal damage to the economy and daily life. Can go And yes, sports is health too.”

Horowitz, Bennett and Minister of Culture and Sport Chile Trooper also met with a delegation from the culture industry.

“Our goal is to understand your world, and to think together how, on the one hand, we do not allow the world of culture to become a corona incubator, and on the other, allow culture, work and life,” he said. .

In addition, the cabinet is expected to discuss the airport question, which is considered a key point to limit the entry of infected persons and variants into the country.

Speaking to Hebrew website Ynet on Monday, Horowitz confirmed that he does not intend to close the airport.

“I believe the only international airport in Israel is to remain open,” he said, adding that there are other considerations besides health issues.

At the moment, the minimum quarantine period in Israel is seven days at the beginning of the period and with a negative test on the seventh day, however, according to reports in Hebrew media, health officials are considering proposing a shorter time, at least For persons receiving vaccination/recovery from countries at risk.

Along with the number of cases reported on Monday, the rate of tests returning positive results – 1.87% -, as well as the number of tests processed – 77,000 – also marked a four-month record.

Also, the increase in severe morbidity remains limited. Some 62 people were in critical condition on Tuesday morning, nearly three times the number in the first half of June, when the number of active cases in the country fell below 200 – as opposed to the current 8,000 – but four fewer than 24 hours ago.

In a press briefing on Monday, Director General of Health Minister Prof. Nachman Ashe said Israel could see 2,000 new daily cases within two weeks, as well as 30 new critical patients a day soon thereafter, as the rate of infected individuals turning into serious conditions at around 1.5%. Huh.

On the other hand, a computational biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and an advisor to the government, Prof. According to Aron Segal, the rate is currently around 1.2%, while in the third wave it is 3.9%, and so it takes a lot of daily cases – on the order of 20,000 – to receive hundreds of severe cases at the same time. going to take the number.

Israel has never before recorded such a high number of cases in 24 hours – the highest was nearly 10,000 in the limited days at the peak of the pandemic, when there were some 1,200 critical patients, placing an unprecedented burden on the health system. .