With Israel's COVID-19 infection rate at 1.4 percent, Health Ministry Director General Hezi Levy says that the increase in morbidity could lead to new coronavirus restrictions


Israeli Health Ministry Director General Hezi Levy said on Thursday that he doesn’t know if there will be a lockdown over Hanukkah, “but we are identifying an increase in morbidity, and it could lead to new restrictions.”

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Levy made the remarks at a special press conference following the decision by the so-called “Coronavirus Cabinet” to allow for Eilat and the Dead Sea to be designated as “tourism islands,” in addition to an easing of restrictions on the number of customers allowed inside stores and an opening of zoos.

“Today, 780 verified patients have been identified out of around 50,000 tests. There is a slight increase in morbidity,” he said, noting that the number had remained stable among younger members of the population.

“The rate of reproduction is now hovering around 1.08, a higher value than the target we set out for moving forward with the framework for easing restrictions. As for hospitalized [patients], there is a plateau in the number of serious patients, without any sharp increases or decreases,” he said. Read more at JNS