Israel

8,261 New Coronavirus Cases; Decrease in Chareidi Cities, Spike in Tel Aviv

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 5:29 am | < 1 Minute Read

By Aryeh Stern

People wait in their cars to get tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Tel Aviv. Picture taken with a drone. (Reuters/Ammar Awad)

The Health Ministry said on Tuesday that 8,261 new daily coronavirus cases were diagnosed a day earlier, which means every eleventh test came back positive.

92,958 tests were conducted on Monday, placing the national contagion rate at 9.2%.

The national coronavirus reproduction number, R, continues to rise despite the lockdown and is now approaching 1, which is considered high.

The ministry said 1,094 patients are in serious condition, of whom 316 are ventilated. The official death toll now stands at 4,816.

There are 71,618 active patients currently ill with the disease.

Over the past week, there has been a 21% decrease in the number of verified cases in Yerushalayim, a 15% decrease in Bnei Brak and a 21% drop in Modi’in Illit.

In the Tel Aviv, however, a 21% increase in new infections has been recorded. In Ashdod there was a 19% increase, in Holon, 21%, in Rishon LeTzion, 18% and in Rechovot 17%.

In the meantime, 3,165,400 Israelis (34.35%) have received the first dose of the coronavirus and 1,824,525 people (19.8%) have been given the second shot. Since the start of the vaccination campaign, 4,989,925 vaccines have been administered.