Thousands in Israel Could Already Be Infected With Coronavirus: Officials

17 new patients have been diagnosed of coronavirus as public life in Israel slows to a near-standstill amid fears of contagion.

The Israeli authorities have decided to keep preschools open, hundreds of teachers said to ditch work.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel rose to 126 Friday morning — an addition of 17 new patients — as much of the country shut down and public life was severely curbed by the spread of the dangerous pathogen.

"Two patients are in serious condition and five are defined as moderate," the Ministry of Health said.

Among those who have tested positive for the virus is a six-month-old baby.

The mounting cases have led ministry officials to estimate that thousands of Israelis could already be infected without being diagnosed.

Synagogues throughout Israel were expected to limit attendance to 100 people over the Sabbath, as per Health Ministry instructions, with some splitting up worshipers to several locations to avoid crowding. Shuls with cramped spaces were expected to further limit attendance to prevent close contact between congregants.

People at higher risk were instructed to pray at home.

Israel’s chief rabbis cautioned religious Jews to avoid visiting the Wall of Buraq ( Israel has renamed it as the Western Wall).

The nation’s schools and universities were also closed as of Friday morning until further notice.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the public to “refrain as much as possible from gatherings in general.”

Though preschools and kindergartens had been set to open, Haaretz reported that hundreds of teachers in those institutions had called in sick, in an apparent protest at the decision not to keep them shut as well.

The Education Ministry asserted, however, that 85 percent of preschools had opened as usual.

Theaters in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and around the country shut their doors for the foreseeable future amid a ban on gatherings of 100 people or more went into effect.

On Friday the Culture and Sports Ministry announced that all sporting events in the country would be stopped until further notice.