Close to 1,800 new patients diagnosed with coronavirus in a single day * Netanyahu convenes emergency meeting

It is expected that the government will approve a set of new coronavirus restrictions on Thursday that would include weekend lockdowns, restrictions on gatherings to 20 people in open spaces and 10 in closed spaces and restaurants reverting to delivery only.

"Following the jump in morbidity to about 1,800 patients and the steep rise in the doubling of the critically ill every seven days, I now spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, head of the National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat and with Science and Technology Minister Yizhar Shai on the need for a general closure."

Instead, the prime minister said, these interim steps would be taken in hopes of staving off a complete lockdown.Other restrictions set to be approved: Beaches and malls will be closed and summer camps will be closed beginning Sunday.The decision to meet immediately came as the Health Ministry released the day's numbers, which represented a new peak: 1,898 in a single day on Wednesday. According to the report, Israel broke 200 people in serious condition. The closure is expected to go into effect on Friday morning and last until Sunday morning. Read more at JPost