The number of active Israeli coronavirus patients surpassed 25,000, the Health Ministry reported on Wednesday evening.
Out of the current 25,649 patients, 345 are in serious condition, with 106 are ventilators.
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Medics in protective gear against coronavirus with a patient at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv
( Photo: Zlila Helman)
Also reported were three additional virus-related deaths, raising the national death toll to 565.
Only 14,146 tests for the virus were conducted on Wednesday.
The ministerial committee on the coronavirus pandemic has been deliberating the steps needed to be taken to reduce the number of daily infections with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the National Security Council advocating a nation-wide closure while Professor Ronni Gamzu who heads the task force to combat the virus, and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein insisting that there is no need to take such a drastic step.
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Police and an ultra-Orthodox resident of Jerusalem argue over coronavirus restrictions during a closure imposed in April
(Photo: Eli Mandelbaum)
Gamzu told ministers that cities with increased contagion should be put under more restrictions and even local closures while locations, where the number of contaminations remains low, should see measures lifted.
Political observers said Netanyahu's call for a total closure may be motivated not only by concerns for the health of Israelis but could be motivated by his desire to see demonstrations calling for his ouster, that have been taking place in recent weeks, banned.