Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said on Tuesday that Israel’s “increasingly rising spike of new virus cases is alarming” following a tour of the Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva.

Edelstein warned that Israel’s rate of infection is progressing to over 200 patients a day and if Israelis continue to treat health guidelines as just a recommendation, the coronavirus will linger.

“The most effective way to treat the virus without harming the economy is strict enforcement,” Edelstein said. “There’s no difference between enforcing traffic regulations and enforcing coronavirus regulations. Anyone who walks around without a mask is like someone driving at 160 kilometers per hour. ”

“In 2019, 349 people were killed in traffic accidents. In the last three months, 298 people have been killed by the coronavirus and more than 18,000 have become ill. Everyone should do the math.”

Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, senior government and law enforcement officials, and heads of local authorities, a decision was made to increase enforcement of health regulations, including the wearing of masks in public places and gatherings of large groups as well as overseeing businesses to ensure they are maintaining “Purple Badge” standards and those in quarantine to ensure they are adhering to guidelines.

The regulations will be enforced not only by Israel Police but also by local authority inspectors and even Population and Immigration Authority inspectors.

The Public Security Ministry is overseeing the plan, with the Federation of Local Authorities to develop a training program for city inspectors and the Justice Ministry advancing legislation granting enforcement power to local inspectors.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)