665 New Coronavirus Cases; Positivity Rate Drops to 1.6%

The Health Ministry on Thursday morning reported that 655 new coronavirus cases were detected on Wednesday.

49,498 tests conducted indicating a 1.6% positivity rate.

305 patients are hospitalized in serious condition including 131 of them who are on ventilators.

Since the start of the pandemic 2,700 people have succumbed to the virus in Israel.

Outgoing coronavirus project manager Prof. Ronni Gamzu said that although Israel’s infection rate is relatively low in comparison to most of Europe, that is not reason for complacency.

“We still have to increase the number of tests we’re conducting,” he said. “If we manage to sustain a rate of 70,000 tests per day, with a low positivity rate, then we can maintain control over the situation.”