Since last week, there was a consistent decline in the rate of coronavirus infections in Israel, which are now doubling at a rate of once every eight days compared to once every three days.
Prof. Gabi Barabash, former director of the Health Ministry and former director of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv told Channel 12 News that as this has been evident over a three-day period, it could, hopefully, indicate a trend.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"If the numbers continue looking like this, they [the government] could reconsider the lockdown after Passover," he said.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 4,831 confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel. Eighty-three patients are in serious condition and 66 of them are in need of respiratory support. Sixteen people have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and 161 Israelis have recovered from it.
Still, Barabash noted that infection rates could spike again unless certain sectors in society understand the importance of observing the Health Ministry's directives.
This is particularly in issue in the ultra-Orthodox sector. The haredim's disregard to the Health Ministry's directives is so severe that Health Minister Yakov Litzman – head of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox party United Torah Judaism – has asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to impose a quarantine on the haredi city of Bnei Brak, one of the areas hardest hit by the coronavirus.
On Monday, Netanyahu had to self-quarantine after a parliamentary aide tested positive for the virus.
The prime minister later tested negative for COVID-19.
In a televised address issued prior to his test result, Netanyahu noted that "this evening I am speaking to you from the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. Even though my medical tests have still not concluded, I have decided to enter into voluntary quarantine in order to set a personal example. The cameraman is six meters away," he said, adding, "I am continuing to work from home."
"I must say that most of you are adhering to Health Ministry directives I thank you for that. But we have still not reached the desired point. There are individuals – and more than this, there are certain groups in the country which are pointedly ignoring, and are even showing contempt for, the clear directives that have been published. Not everyone. The vast majority is disciplined, in the ultra-orthodox public, the secular public, the Jewish and the non-Jewish public – but the undisciplined minority is endangering the majority. It is endangering both itself and the majority together.
"This is unabashed lawlessness," Netanyahu stressed. "Therefore, I have ordered the security forces to prepare to step up enforcement in neighborhoods and communities in which there are such violations and in which there are events that endanger the lives of all of us.
"We will prevent extremist elements from harming public health and we will prosecute whoever attacks police, health, and military forces, who are trying to carry out their mission on behalf of all of us," Netanyahu concluded.
