Only 41 New Cases of Infection as Some Schools Reopen

YERUSHALAYIM
Israeli students at the Orot Etzion school in Efrat wear protective face masks as they return to school for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Sunday. (Gershon Elinon/Flash90)

The Health Ministry announced Sunday morning that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel has risen to 16,193, an increase of just 41 over the past 24 hours, the lowest since March.

The country’s death toll stands at 230, up only one since Motzoei Shabbos.

103 patients are listed in serious condition, 82 of whom are on ventilators.

So far, 9,634 patients have recovered from the coronavirus, while 6,363 are still sick.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said that 80% of elementary schools in the state-run school system have opened Sunday morning.

Students in first through third grades were welcomed back to school, while following Health Ministry regulations obligating various social distancing and hygiene stipulations, the Education Ministry said in a statement.

“The ministry is continuing to monitor what is happening on the ground,” the Education Ministry said .

Schools in the Arab community have announced that they will not reopen schools this week at all.

Elementary schools were approved Friday to bring back students in first through third grades, but despite the go-ahead, numerous cities and local authorities said they would delay a return to classrooms amid growing dissatisfaction over the government’s handling of the matter, with unclear rules in place and unanswered questions about technical aspects of the school openings.

In the past two weeks, Israel has gradually eased some of the restrictions with the objective of setting the economy back on track.

The opening of malls and places of tourism is now under discussion.

 

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