Signs of Covid Spreading Again in Israel, Slight Rise in Seriously Ill

By Hamodia Staff

YERUSHALAYIM – The Health Ministry noted that the R basic reproduction number has been above 1 for several weeks, indicating that the coronavirus is again spreading, though it stressed that it would be premature to call it the start of a major wave of infections.

The ministry said on Tuesday that 3,731 people in Israel tested positive for Covid the day before, up from 2,898 week-on-week

In addition, the number of patients seriously ill with Covid hospitalized in the country rose from a low point of 83 to 103 over the past week.

Health officials said that so many people in Israel have already previously been infected by the virus that it is unlikely to spread again in large numbers. Ten percent of new cases were previously infected. In most cases, re-infections are lighter than the first infection. The ministry could not say which sub-variant of Omicron is currently prevalent in Israel.

Nevertheless, the Health Ministry issued a statement advising at-risk groups, such as the over 65s and those with pre-existing medical conditions, to wear face masks indoors, even though it is no longer required except in limited circumstance.

“We have moved to a stage in which we live alongside the virus, but the virus doesn’t take account of our desire to live alongside it,” the statement said.

Also on Tuesday, the Health Ministry confirmed the country’s third case of the monkeypox virus, diagnosed in an Israeli man who recently returned from abroad.

The 34-year-old man arrived at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv with symptoms of the condition. His whereabouts abroad were not disclosed.

The first case of monkeypox was confirmed in Israel on May 20, and a second case on May28.

On Sunday, the World Health Organization said more than two dozen countries that haven’t previously identified monkeypox cases reported 780 confirmed infections, a more than 200% jump in cases since late May. No monkeypox deaths outside of Africa have yet been identified.

WHO estimated that the risk posed by monkeypox to global health was “moderate,” although this was the first time that so many cases and clusters were reported across the world.

On Monday, British health officials revealed that there are more than 300 monkeypox cases in the U.K., the most of any country outside Africa.

The Israeli Health Ministry said the virus generally presents with a fever, blisters on the body and an enlargement of the lymph nodes. It encouraged anyone with such symptoms as well as anyone who believes they have come in contact with someone suspected of having monkeypox to reach out to their physician.