Israel Records Over 500 New COVID Cases for Second Day Running

Israel on Wednesday reported over 500 new daily coronavirus cases, diagnosed a day earlier, for the second day in a row.

The Health Ministry said 521 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. After more than 85,429 tests had been conducted, the national contagion rate now stands at 0.7%.

On Monday, 501 Israelis tested positive for COVID-19, the highest daily tally since March of this year.

The tally of serious cases has also gone up and now stands at 40, compared to 33 a day earlier. At least 16 patients are connected to ventilators.

In the wake of the continued rise in infection data, the Coronavirus Cabinet will meet at the Prime Minister’s Office in Yerushalayim on Wednesday afternoon after Tuesday’s meeting was adjourned due to an urgent vote in the Knesset.

Ahead of the meeting, the Health Ministry recommended to enforce quarantine on parents whose children have been found positive for COVID and for travelers who recently returned from at-risk countries with high infection rates.

The ministry’s recommendations also include mandatory quarantine for vaccinated people who have come into contact with a confirmed virus carries or someone suspected of having contracted the virus.