Hospitals Overflow as Coronavirus Spreads in Israel

Israel continues its uphill battle against the spread of the novel coronavirus as new numbers pouring in on Tuesday present an ominous picture. Over 2,000 new patients were diagnosed in the past 24 hours following a weekend in which testing dropped by more than half but the infection rate remained the same – nearly 8%. Perhaps even more disturbing, an increasing number of “corona wards” – hospital areas separated and designated to handle coronavirus cases exclusively – have exceeded their maximum capacity in recent days, transferring infected patients to other hospitals and wards. The virus has killed about 480 Israelis since its outbreak, nearly 150 in the past month alone. Another 321 are in serious condition. In related news, the concert and wedding hall industry announced on Tuesday it would defy government ordinances and return to work next week. Industry employees protested by blocking traffic in several central Tel Aviv streets, demanding that the government allow them to reopen their doors even in a limited capacity.