The coronavirus pandemic has now claimed 201 lives in Israel, the Health Ministry said Sunday night.
A total of 15,443 people are confirmed to have been infected, with 133 people in serious condition, including 99 patients on ventilators.
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Medics in protective gear against coronavirus with a patient at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv
( Photo: Zlila Helman)
Another 82 people are in moderate condition and 8,296 people are showing minor symptoms.
In all, 6,731 people have recovered from the disease in Israel.
The number of recoveries has now exceeded the number of new diagnoses for the tenth day in a row.
There are currently 382 coronavirus patients receiving treatment in hospitals while 5,353 people are fighting the virus at home.
Another 1,771 people are currently receiving treatment in specially designated hotels and 1,005 are awaiting a decision on whether they require hospital treatment.
Among the latest fatalities was 58-year-old Tzvi Porush who passed away at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem late Saturday from complications related to coronavirus. His wife, aged 52, died from the virus on Wednesday.
The two suffered from underlying health conditions and are survived by six children.
Israel allowed some businesses to reopen on Sunday and said it was considering letting children return to school as part of trial efforts to ease coronavirus restrictions and help the country's struggling economy.
After weeks of closures, shops with street access reopened though malls and markets stayed off-limits to prevent large gatherings. Restaurants were allowed to offer take-away food, in addition to delivery services already operating.
In Jerusalem's popular Mahane Yehuda market, angry vendors wearing face masks demonstrated to demand their stalls be reopened. They banged metal spoons on their empty stands and scuffled with police. No arrests were reported.
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A sign at Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem reads: 'Welcome to IKEA Mahane Yehuda branch', as merchants protest the reopening of the furniture giant and not their own stalls
(Photo: Ron Yarkoni)
"There is no sense in shops or groceries being open just around the corner from Mahane Yehuda market while this market stays closed," said Tali Friedman, who heads its committee of vendors.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will begin discussions on Monday about the gradual reopening of schools, a statement from his office said.
The Education Ministry has proposed that if the school year resumes it should run into the summer holiday to make up for lost time.