Israel on Thursday reported more than 700 new daily coronavirus cases for the third day in a row as well an increase in the number of seriously ill patients.
The Health Ministry said 765 people tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, of whom 71 were confirmed as carriers during mandatory testing at Ben Gurion Airport. After 56,075 tests had been conducted, the contagion rate now stands at 1.38%.
The ministry said 54 patients are in serious condition, an increase of one from the day earlier and a rise of nine from two days ago. At least 16 patients are connected to ventilators.
Two people died of coronavirus-related complications on Wednesday, putting the official death toll at 6,443.
In Israel, there are 5,372 active patients currently ill with the disease. Of that number, 467 live in Tel Aviv, 283 in Netanya, 265 in Petah Tikva, 180 in Rishon Lezion, 155 in Jerusalem, 151 in Kfar Saba, 142 in Holon, 139 in Pardes Hanna-Karkur, 128 in Ashdod, 122 in Kfar Yona, 113 in Modi'in-Maccabim-Reut, 111 in Herzliya and 101 in Hadera.
In the meantime, Prof. Eli Waxman of the Weizmann Institute told Ynet that he fears in "seven to eight" weeks, Israel might see "hundreds" of severely ill.
"About two percent of the infected become seriously ill and if the number of single-day infections reaches thousands, within seven-eight weeks, we will see hundreds of seriously ill patients," said Waxman, who also heads the advisory team for the National Security Council on the pandemic.
Prof. Waxman also said he supports the return of the Green Pass mandate. "When we allow unvaccinated people to move around, we increase the risk, so the Green Pass must be brought back. There are those in the cabinet who do not understand the severity of the situation."