Israel now has 32,756 active cases of COVID-19 - an increase of 244 since midnight - the Health Ministry said Thursday morning, as the country continues to battle a surging second wave of the pandemic.
The national death toll also rose to 497, after four more people succumbed to the disease since midnight.
There are currently 336 patients in serious condition in Israel, including 99 people on ventilators. A total of 752 people are being treated in hospital, with the remainder either at home or in specially designated hotels for COVID sufferers.
Israel saw 1,960 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with healthcare providers conducting 25,046 tests throughout the day.
Hospitals have repeatedly sounded the alarm over reaching or even exceeding capacity as the country battles the second wave, which has seen the total number of cases in Israel increase by some 300% since May.
On Tuesday, a record 2,104 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Israel.
Also Tuesday, Israel's new coronavirus czar, Prof. Ronni Gamzu, presented the key aspects of his "Magen Israel" (Israel Protector) plan, which aims to curb the spread of the disease surging across the country.
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Prof. Ronni Gamzu presenting his new plan to fight coronavirus in Israel
(Photo: GPO)
Gamzu said that as part of the plan, the country's contact tracing program will now be handled by the IDF, which has "the technology, the tools, the ability,” adding that this is "at the heart of stopping the pandemic.
Virus testing will be increased to 60,000 people per day within the next two months and ultimately up to 100,000 by winter.
First published: 09:27, 07.30.20