Coronavirus Death Tolls Nears 300, New Cases Reported

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in Israel reached 298 as of Sunday, according to Health Ministry figures.

Details were not immediately available on the people who died; 13 in the past week, including seven since Friday.

According to the Ministry update, 118 new infections were recorded since Motzoei Shabbos, pushing the national total to 17,870. The number of new daily cases has stayed at around 100 for eight days, even as testing rates increased.

Of the 2,481 active cases, 28 people were in serious condition, including 24 on ventilators. Another 39 people were in moderate condition and the rest have mild symptoms.

130 schools closed, and 17,000 teachers and students remain in quarantine after reports of infections in their schools in several cities.

Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated his warning Sunday against a “serious slackening in keeping the rules” aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus, saying that Israel was still at risk and the public has to maintain Health Ministry regulations for social distancing.

“As I keep saying, the virus is here. It is neither my imagination nor anyone else’s,” he warned.

“Anyone who says that there was no danger in the first place, or that there is no danger now, is misleading the public and encouraging behavior that endangers public health and the lives of many,” the prime minister said.