Israel has seen its national coronavirus infection rate spike to over 3% for the first time in weeks as more lockdown restrictions are being lifted.
The Health Ministry said on Saturday 569 people tested positive for COVID-19 after 17,472 tests had been conducted, putting the contagion rate at 3.3%. The increase in the infection rate appears to be related to the small number of survey tests conducted over the weekend.
At least 510 patients are being treated in hospitals, with the rest fighting the virus at home. Of that number, 273 patients are in serious condition, of whom 112 are ventilated. Since the start of the outbreak in the country, 2,854 Israelis succumbed to the disease.
In the last seven days, 790 COVID-19 cases were discovered in Jerusalem, 258 in Nazareth, 140 in Haifa, 140 in Umm al-Fahm, 139 in Rahat, 137 in Shefar'am, 122 in Tel Aviv-Yafo, 102 in Taibeh, 101 in Be'er Sheva, 98 in Holon, 89 in Lod, 84 in Majdal Krum, 82 in Iksal, 77 in Ashdod, 69 in Petah Tikva, 64 in Kafr Qassem, 63 in Bnei Brak, 63 in Kfar Manda, 58 in Yafia, 56 in Ramla, 56 in Qalansawa, 53 in Dalit al-Carmel, 48 in Araba and 48 in Bat Yam.
In the meantime, more and more lockdown restrictions are being lifted as more than 400,000 children in grades 11-12 returned to in-class studies on Sunday morning after the coronavirus cabinet voted last week to reopen all schools.
Next Sunday they are set to be joined by some 423,000 children in grades 7-9, who are also set to resume frontal studies.