Nearly 4,000 New COVID Cases in Israel

The Health Ministry on Thursday morning reported that nearly 4,000 new coronavirus cases had been diagnosed the previous day.

With 3,947 out of 135,885 tests conducted on Wednesday returning positive, the infection rate stands at 2.93%. Out of 20,429 active patients, 94 are in serious condition, with 38 connected to ventilators.

Since the start of the pandemic, 8,243 Israelis have succumbed to coronavirus-related complications.

Meanwhile, Israel may be facing an incoming influenza epidemic as hospitals reported treating 1,849 patients with complications of the disease over the past week, according to data published Wednesday by the Health Ministry’s Center for Disease Control (CDC).

The Health Ministry has called on the general public from the age of six months and up to get vaccinated against the flu, hoping to avert a so-called “twindemic.”

Due to the rising infection rate, more Israeli localities have been designated as “red.” These include Ma’aleh Adumim, Kiryat Ono, Tzur Hadassah, Mevaseret Tzion, Rishon LeTzion, Yavne, Yad Binyamin, Hod Hasharon, Azor, Shtulim and Revava.

Borderline “red” communities include Ra’anana, Oranit, Nes Tziona, Ramat Hasharon, Cholon and Givat Shmuel.

The city with the highest number of active cases is Yerushalayim with 2,828. The capital is followed by Tel Aviv with 1,238, Rishon LeTzion with 1,151, Ma’aleh Adumim with 866 and Petach Tikva with 579.