State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman announced Monday that his office will probe the government's management of the coronavirus pandemic and its decision-making during the current and previous infection waves.
During a tour of Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, Englman said he will also inspect the country's testing apparatus, vaccination drive and procurement policy.
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Health worker administers a coronavirus test in a Jerusalem testing facility
(Photo: Reuters)
Separately, coronavirus czar Prof. Salman Zarka defended the new testing policy, which saw the more accurate PCR tests earmarked for those over the age of 60 and at high risk from the virus, explaining that no country dealing with the highly infectious Omicron variant "can reasonably test every suspected carrier with PCRs."
His comments came after Health Ministry Director-General Prof. Nachman ash rebuffed widespread criticism leveled at his ministry over the new testing policy.
"The number of cases is on the rise and unfortunately the peak is still ahead of us," he told a press conference. "But we have the ability to defend ourselves and go through the next three to five weeks in peace."
Zarka once again called on Israelis to get vaccinated, noting that the Delta strain also continues to spread throughout the country and that the vaccine is also effective against both infection and serious illness.
Israel on Monday reported a new record number of single-day COVID-19 cases as Omicron continues to surge across the country with massive force.
The Health Ministry said 21,501 Israelis have tested positive for coronavirus out of some 175,000 tests carried out on Sunday, the highest daily leap since the beginning of the pandemic, putting the country's positivity rate at 12.31%.