In light of the increasing number of coronavirus infections, the government on Wednesday has decided to designate three Arab communities as "restricted coronavirus areas."
The southern Bedouin townships of Ar'ara BaNegev and Rahat and the Ajami neighborhood in Tel Aviv-Jaffa will be subject to several restrictions regarding travel and gathering.
In these communities, gatherings of over 10 people will be prohibited and all schools will be shuttered until further notice.
For the first time since the peak of the coronavirus epidemic in Israel, nearly 300 new cases have been recorded in 24 hours, officials confirmed on Wednesday morning.
Israel over the past few weeks has seen a resurgence of COVID-19 as more and more businesses reopen, with the daily toll topping 200 new cases last week for the first time since April.
The Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center reported that 287 have been diagnosed with the virus over the past 24 hours, with the total number of active patients currently standing at 3,845.
The number of people who died from coronavirus-related complications currently stands at 303. The center, which is part of the IDF's Security and Intelligence Division, said medical officials conducted 11,971 COVID-19 tests on Tuesday, bringing the contagion rate to 2%.
Since the start of the epidemic in Israel, 19,637 people tested positive for the pathogen, with 15,459 patients having already recovered from the disease.
First published: 18:11, 06.17.20