COVID-19 Infections in Israel Exceed 248K Cases

Israel recorded, on Thursday, a new rise in the number of infections with the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Israeli Ministry of Health announced that 8,919 new infections were diagnosed with the deadly virus during the past twenty-four hours.

The ministry said, in a statement, that the number of Corona patients in the country reached 248,133 as of Thursday morning, including 1,571 deaths.

The statement added that among the total infections in the country, there are 810 cases in serious condition, 206 were connected to a ventilator, and 177752 recovered.

The number of patients currently in hospitals is 68,811.

Israel is still registering higher numbers of infections despite the tight closure that enters its second week by Friday.

Israeli PM tells Coronavirus Cabinet that lifting of exiting lockdown will be slow and gradual this time.

He insists on introducing further restrictions on travel as the number of ventilated COVID-19 patients reaches a new high.

Netanyahu warned Wednesday evening that the Coronavirus lockdown may last for months or even up to a year.

During a meeting of the so-called Coronavirus Cabinet, which leads the government's response to the pandemic, the Premier told fellow ministers that "exiting the lockdown will be slow and gradual this time, and could last even half a year to a year."

The government came under fire for what many deemed to be a hasty lifting of COVID-19 restrictions after the last lockdown in the spring, and for failing to re-impose restrictions when infections began to soar again in July.

An argument also broke out between Cabinet members over-tightening travel restrictions for civilians who are currently only allowed to venture one kilometer away from home for non-essential reasons.

The Israeli Premier was among those who insisted on further limiting movement, joined by Transportation Minister Miri Regev who suggested limiting traveling distance to 100-200 meters (330-660 feet) from home.

Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz opposed the proposal to further restrict travel, saying the constant zigzagging was confusing the public.

Netanyahu then lashed out at Gantz.

Cabinet members have also voted for an extended outline that will see Coronavirus testing in nursing homes and geriatric institutions doubled and will provide further support for senior citizens against the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry reported Wednesday evening that 821 Israelis are being treated in serious condition across the country's hospitals, among them record-high 212 patients receiving respiratory support from ventilators.

Since midnight, 17 more Israelis have passed away due to complications of COVID-19, and the country's death toll stood at 1,552 virus-related fatalities, 6.8% are under the age of 60.

Health authorities reported that 5,443 new infections out of some 40,000 Coronavirus tests carried out since midnight between Wednesday and Thursday, meaning 13.4% of tests yielded a positive result.

Since the onset of the pandemic in Israel, 243,895 Israelis have tested positive for the pathogen and 174,232 of them recovered.

However, there are thousands of Judaism students in Israeli institutions that operate under the radar, with no social distancing and in violation of the law.

The Haredi community in Israel has an unknown infection rate and testing nonexistent, these boys are already back in their own crowded homes.

Unlike the 26,000 yeshiva (Jewish school) students who took part in the now-defunct plan for capsule learning, under the supervision of the government and the Council of Yeshivas, there are thousands of students in Israel who have studied in institutions that did not participate in the capsule outline, in violation of the law.

Now, with the return of these yeshiva students to their homes, Haredi medical officials define this huge group as a "ticking bomb" and warn of a "catastrophe" immediately after the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which ends on October 9.