New Daily Cases Continue to Fall Ahead of Plan to Ease Lockdown

The Health Ministry said Monday morning that its data shows the daily tally of new coronavirus cases continues to drop, with just 1,609 new cases. The decline in the number of newly diagnosed cases is partially due to the smaller number of tests conducted Sunday, with only 22,777 tests being taken.

Still, the results showed infection rate was at 7.7% of the tests, down from a peak of 15.1%.

Health officials said that a reduced number of tests usually raises the positivity rate, while the figure has been steadily declining in recent days, indicating that the second “wave” in Israel may have been contained.

Israel has recorded 291,828 cases since the pandemic began. The country’s death toll currently stands at 1,983.

There are currently 51,698 active cases, including 823 patients in serious condition.

Sunday saw the Health Ministry roll out its lockdown exit strategy, detailing a gradual emerging from the measures limiting economic and public activity over four months.

The eight-phase plan is slated to be set in motion next Sunday and details target dates for the different stages of lifting the restrictions imposed.