The government will convene on Wednesday to decide on an exit strategy from the lockdown with kindergartens set to re-open on Sunday.
The Health Ministry on Wednesday reported that 7,919 new coronavirus cases were confirmed during the previous day indicating a 9.3% positivity rate after 85,000 tests conducted.
There are currently 1,074 people in serious condition being treated in hospitals with 292 of them on ventilators.
After 31 people succumbed to the virus on Tuesday, the death toll since the start of the pandemic stands on 4,888.
The high contagion rate comes despite the strict lockdown in effect since January 8 and despite the vaccination drive that resulted thus far in nearly 2 million Israelis who have already received the two doses of the coronavirus vaccine and over 3 million that were given one dose.
According to health officials, 73,707 Israelis are battling the virus with nearly a third of them living in Jerusalem home of a large ultra-Orthodox community. Other Haredi cities are also showing a high infection rate with Beni Brak indicating a 16% positivity rate of tests conducted and the West Bank settlement of Modi'in illlit showing a 21% positivity rate.
Hospitals on Wednesday reported that 15.1% of patients in serious condition and on ventilators are under 50 years of age.
The decision to begin exiting the lockdown on Friday Am came during a Sunday cabinet meeting, at the insistence of Defense Minister Benny Gantz and is in opposition to the Health Ministry's position that insisted it should remain in place until Sunday.
Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said the weekend would yield an additional 200,000 people that will be immune to the virus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel will begin gradually lifting lockdown restrictions next week while urging citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the more infectious British variant of the disease spreads nationwide.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a televised speech on the pandemic on Tuesday
(Photo: GPO)
"We are in the midst of a race between the vaccination campaign and the [COVID-19] variant," Netanyahu told a press conference. "The vaccination campaign is our key to exiting the pandemic. The variant has stricken the entire world… and us too. Only a few days ago, it accounted for 70% of all samples taken, and today, it accounts for some 80%. The spread is massive."
The premier also said that 97% of the country's COVID-19 victims and 93% of serious cases were among those aged 50 and over.
"If we take control of the disease in these age groups, and manage to vaccinate all over 50s, we will be on the path to victory over coronavirus, leaving any surprises like new variants. That is why I am setting a national goal to vaccinate 90% of those aged 50 and over. It will allow us to gradually open the economy and save lives."
First published: 08:06, 02.03.21