Israel hits record high in daily virus cases; West Bank to lock down

Coronavirus restrictions went into effect in Israel on Thursday after the number of new cases there hit a record high the previous day, while the West Bank prepares to go into lockdown.

The Health Ministry reported on Thursday morning that 966 infections were registered in Israel in 24 hours on Wednesday. The highest number of new cases in one day had previously been 819, on April 13.

As a result, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Health Ministry declared restricted zones in various Israeli neighbourhoods, including in the cities of Ashdod and Lod. Entry and exit will be limited for seven days, as will traffic and businesses within those zones.

The situation has also deteriorated in the West Bank, where a five-day lockdown will be implemented starting on Friday, according to a Palestinian government spokesman.

All shops except for supermarkets, bakeries and pharmacies would also be affected by the measure, spokesman Ibrahim Milhem said.

Israel and the Palestinian Territories were initially relatively mildly affected by the pandemic.

However, the number of new infections steadily picked up again since late May as lockdown measures eased.

According to the Israeli Health Ministry, the virus has now been detected in a total of 26,452 people in Israel, with 324 deaths as a result. Twenty-four people are on respirators. On Wednesday, 20,798 tests were conducted.

The population of Israel is approximately 9 million.

In the West Bank and Gaza, a total of 2,758 coronavirus cases have been recorded. So far, a total of eight people have died from the virus in the 
Palestinian Territories.
DPA, 02ND 
JULY, 2020