Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said that the government may reimpose a national lockdown if daily coronavirus cases rise to 2,000, news reports said on Friday.

Edelstein’s remarks were made on the background of another record-breaking number of 1,464 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Friday morning in the previous 24 hours. Almost 8,000 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the past week.

The number of active cases has risen to 16,651, with 124 people in serious condition, of whom 39 are ventilated. Two more deaths were recorded, raising the death toll to 350.

The Ministerial Committee on Restricted Zones made a decision late Thursday night to impose a lockdown on neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Malachi, Lod and Ramle for seven days. The restrictions went into effect on Friday at 1 p.m.

The Health Ministry stated on Friday morning that more testing is needed in the cities of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Bnei Brak and Ashdod, where cases have been rising dramatically. Over 1,000 new virus cases were confirmed in Jerusalem this week, raising the number of active cases in the capital city to 2,310, meaning that about of the half of the active case were recorded in the past week alone. Over 500 new cases were recorded in Tel Aviv-Yafo this week, with active cases reaching 1,402. There are currently 1,189 active cases in Bnei Brak, 460 of which were confirmed in the past week.

Israel’s rate of new weekly coronavirus cases is one of the highest in the world and in light of the fact that hospitalization rates tend to rise several weeks following an increase in cases, the Health Ministry instructed hospitals throughout Israel on Thursday to prepare for a surge of patient admissions.

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi entered quarantine for the second time on Thursday after it was discovered that he had been in contact with a coronavirus carrier. Several other senior IDF officials were required to enter quarantine as well.

Defense Minister Benny Gantz approved the mobilization of 2,000 reserve soldiers on Thursday to aid in efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)