Israel again saw a record number of new daily coronavirus infections on Thursday, the Health Ministry said Friday morning, with 1,814 diagnoses.
There were three more people who have died overnight bringing the number of fatalities from COVID-19 on Friday morning to 387.
3 View gallery
An underground coronavirus ward at the Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv
(Photo: AFP)
Of the 25,636 people battling the virus on Friday, 585 are hospitalized with 213 in serious condition. 58 are on ventilators.
In a late-night cabinet-meeting ministers approved new measures meant to fight the rapid increase in confirmed cases including imposing partial lockdown on weekends, banning in-house dining in restaurants and closing gyms and public pools back down.
Some restaurant owners have said they plan to ignore the government directive to shut down their establishments for all but takeaway business as of five PM Friday.
3 View gallery
Restaurant owners Asaf Lees (Left) and Alon Friedman say they will ignore government directives to end in-house dining
(Photo: Meir Cohen)
The restauranteur said they would not respond to decisions made in the dead of night by ministers, that may destroy their businesses. "We have invested in stock and will not be subjected to irresponsible and inexplicable steps taken by the government," said Asaf Lees owner of Kitchen Market, a popular eatery in Tel Aviv.
First published: 12:53, 07.17.20