COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise in Israel

The sharp rise in coronavirus cases in Israel continues to rise as the number of new cases reached 1,800 overnight Thursday. The cabinet met in an emergency session during the night and decided to close restaurants, impose a partial weekend lockdown, and reinstate the ban on gyms and swimming pools. The directive ordering restaurants to close was immediately met with a vow to ignore the order by restaurateurs. The Ynet news site quoted one Tel Aviv restaurant owner as saying he “will not be subjected to irresponsible and inexplicable steps taken by the government [in the dead of night].” A partial lockdown was set in place for this Friday through Sunday, but pending parliamentary approval, next Friday from 5 pm until Sunday morning will be a different story including a near-total lockdown; only essential goods and services will be available. Indoor gatherings will be limited to 10 people. Of primary concern is the rate of infection that continues to rise. The last reading showed 7.7% of those tested being positive for the virus.