The Corona Cabinet will convene today for a dramatic discussion • Fear: The traffic light plan will not change the upward trend • The number of infected reached a new record of 3,074 new patients per day • The percentage of positive tests stands at 9.4% • Gamzo: "Unchanged
MDA medics at the entrance to Shaare Zedek Hospital, in Jerusalem, yesterday
Photo:
Archive - Oren Ben Hakon
3,074 people were diagnosed with corona virus yesterday (Wednesday), the Ministry of Health announced this morning.
Yesterday, 34,131 tests were performed, of which the percentage of positive tests is 9.4%.
Against the background of the record number of corona infections, the Corona Cabinet will convene today at 11:00 for a dramatic discussion.
The number of patients active in the virus in the country now stands at 23,698 people - and since the outbreak of the epidemic, 122,539 people have been infected.
There are currently 418 patients in critical condition, 834 hospitalized and 118 respirators.
969 people have died from the virus so far.
Since midnight, 298 new patients have been diagnosed, and no one has died from the disease.
Photo: GPO
Every day since March 28, the percentage of positive tests has not dropped below 7%, and except for one day there has not been a day when he has not crossed the 8%.
The number of carriers outside the centers of infection, ie outside the "red" cities, stood at 2,613 people yesterday.
Although the occupancy in the corona wards in the hospitals around the country is not 100%, in the Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals they exceed 90%.
2,028 health staff members are currently in isolation.
Israel on the way to closure?
Among the proposals that Superintendent Prof. Roni Gamzo will bring to the table: extending the closure of schools in the red cities as well as traffic restrictions in these cities - from night curfews to business closures to full closures.
The Cabinet will also be asked to approve the addition of several other cities to the list of the 23 red cities, including Bnei Brak and Elad.
In recent days, there has been an outbreak of morbidity in the ultra-Orthodox sector and there are neighborhoods in orange localities - Ashdod, Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh - that are "swinging" and may be declared red.
"Without a significant change in the incidence of morbidity in the red cities - we can not avoid a full closure," Prof. Gamzo warned during a visit to Beitar Illit, which was declared a "red" city, but its leaders chose to operate the education system even though they were forbidden to do so.
"Unfortunately, we are witnessing a systematic violation of the guidelines," he told mayors. "Every evening there are events in the city that violate all procedures and yesterday, contrary to our directive, the city's educational institutions opened. I understand the complexity of the situation, but now state unequivocally - "Without increasing enforcement and encouraging inspections, we will be required to make complex decisions that may amount to a full closure."
The data presented by Gamzo show that 28% of the morbidity in Israel is in Arab society and 22% in ultra-Orthodox society.
"The consistent refusal to cooperate on the part of some red cities could lead to a very serious outbreak of morbidity. A significant increase in morbidity would require us to take drastic measures at the national level as well. In the routine of life even outside the red cities, "Gamzo warned.
"Tightened restraint"
In the Cabinet, the experts advising Prof. Gamzo also recommended at their last meeting not to settle for the traffic light layout but to impose restrictions on the red cities.
"The traffic light program is not enough to reduce morbidity," experts warned.
They said, "If there is no reduction in morbidity, it may be necessary to expand the restrictions to orange cities as well."
Prof Gabi Barbash, a member of the Corona's expert cabinet, said that "most of the cases we see are not in red cities. The traffic light plan is important and it is a nice idea but it will not solve the illness to the extent we deal with it and treats only a small segment."
He said, "The traffic light plan is beautiful on paper but should not deceive the public that the traffic light will solve all the problems. The reality is complex. It is better to prepare properly and close it and enter it in an informed manner."
The number of people infected on Monday and Tuesday was about 2,100 people a day.
In addition, another 35 deaths were added during these two days.