The Health Ministry recorded Israel’s highest infection rate on Tuesday since the pandemic began, almost 7%, with 1,855 new coronavirus daily cases. The number of active cases has risen to 29,883, with 260 in serious condition, including 78 on ventilators.

Seven more fatalities were recorded since Monday evening, raising the death toll to 422.

According to a military intelligence report, the lower number of daily cases recorded on Sunday does not indicate that infection rates are declining but rather was due to reduced testing and other factors. “This is not a true decrease and the number of cases is expected to continue rising,” the report said.

Israel’s nurses ended their strike on Monday night after the Health and Finance Ministries agree to add 2,000 temporary nursing positions nurses and 400 doctors to decrease manpower shortages as well as the hiring of more security guards at certain locations, among other changes.

Israel’s social workers are also on strike and have been so for over two weeks. The Social Worker’s Union turned down an offer by the Finance Ministry on Monday which proposed a slight increase in salaries and change in working conditions. The ministry claimed that it cannot offer a proposal for permanent changes in working conditions amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Health Ministry is reportedly considering reducing the required quarantine period from 14 days to 7-10 days, a Channel 12 News report said.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)