Israel saw its highest daily toll of new coronavirus cases since the outbreak began, with 1,758 new diagnoses reported in the past 24 hours, health officials said on Thursday morning.
The Coronavirus National Knowledge and Information Center and the Health Ministry both reported that with 24,892 COVID-19 tests conducted on Wednesday, the infection rate now stands at staggering 7%.
The report said the number of patients in serious condition has increased to 204 - of which 57 are ventilated - with the death toll from coronavirus-related complications rising to 380.
The number of active patients currently ill with the disease now stands at 24,234.
Jerusalem still boasts the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 patients with 3,410 cases, followed by Tel Aviv with 1,812 and Bnei Brak with 1,729.
The Haredi settlement of Beitar Illit, which has been in lockdown until Wednesday morning, reported 496 new cases in the past seven days.
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Protest in Beitar Illit over lockdown imposed on the settlement
(Photo: Eli Mandelbaum )
According to National Knowledge and Information Center, with 28% contagion rate, it appears that every eightieth resident of the settlement is an active coronavirus carrier.
On Wednesday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein once again warned that if the daily number of new diagnoses reaches 2,000, another nationwide lockdown would have to be imposed.
"If we reach 2,000 new patients a day, along with the rise in serious and ventilated patients ... then we will definitely table [for the cabinet] tough proposals."