The number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus in Israel rose to 126 as of Friday morning, with 17 new patients diagnosed overnight Thursday, the Health Ministry stated. One patient is a six-month-old baby.

The Health Ministry added that there are 2,479 health employees in quarantine, including 949 doctors, 635 nurses. 171 MDA employees, 129 geriatric care employees and 93 psychiatrists.

All schools and universities are closed per Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s announcement on Thursday night but although Netanyahu said that preschools would open as usual, a Haaretz report said that hundreds of pre-school teachers called in sick on Friday morning in protest of the preschools remaining open.

The travel and tourism industry is reeling as 100 hotels throughout Israel reportedly closed due to lack of tourists with reports saying that another 100 hotels will close next week.

About 5,000 people who work in the tourism industry and thousands who work for airlines have been let go or forced to take permanent leave.

El Al announced on Thursday that it is gradually ending flights to most international destinations by Sunday evening but will continue to operate limited flights to the US, Canada, England, France and South Africa “out of a sense of national responsibility.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)