The Health Ministry on Saturday said it was very concerned that upcoming Yom Kippur prayer services on Sunday evening may lead to a large spike in new coronavirus cases, even as Israel was already seeing record numbers of daily infections
Ministry officials raised the concern that prayers in closed places of even a few people may trigger the further spread of the disease and also noted the increase in morbidity in the Haredi sector.
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Additionally, the Health Ministry noted that outdoor prayer can also lead to infection if not conducted according to the proper social distancing conditions.
Late Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video defending the new lockdown, acknowledging that mistakes "absolutely" were made in recent months, but saying there was no choice but to impose the restrictions. He urged people to stay out of synagogues and only pray outdoors on Yom Kippur.
"We are in the midst of a global war and a global epidemic. Even if there are those who violate the guidelines − do not follow them," Netanyahu said. "I ask of you what the rabbis have asked, what my friend [Shas Chairman] Aryeh Deri asked. And I ask you, as the prime minister of Israel ... do not go to synagogues this year, pray outside. Take care of yourselves."
According to its updated figures, the overall death toll from the virus was 1,417 and that 8,221 new cases were confirmed in 61,101 tests on Saturday.
As of 10 a.m. on Sunday morning, an additional 3,754 cases had been confirmed in 23,387 tests.
Across the country, 1,439 people who have contracted the virus are hospitalized, 728 of them in serious condition, and with 200 of those patients attached to ventilators.
Israel has reported 226,586 cases since the pandemic began. There are currently more than 61,000 active cases.
As for healthcare workers, 4,902 are in quarantine, including 1,118 nurses and 565 doctors.
The Health Ministry estimated that the current lockdown, which is supposed to last about two weeks, could possibly be extended by one or even two weeks.
Health Ministry Director Professor Hezi Levy said Sunday that he was skeptical whether lockdown measured would be lifted after the High Holidays.
"I assume that we won't lift the lockdown immediately after Simchat Torah," he told Army Radio, adding that for that to happen, infection rates would have to drop below the 10% mark of all tests. The current infection rate stands at 15%.
Health Ministry Deputy Director Prof. Itamar Grotto claimed a few days ago that "the goal of the lockdown is to bring infection to 7%."
The Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, meanwhile, said it would not allow the IDF to erect a field hospital on its grounds, despite previously agreeing to the initiative several months ago, during the first wave of the pandemic.
Hospital officials said they were now waiting for the political echelon to decide on the matter.
According to the originally agreed-upon plan, Ichilov was supposed to let the army use its underground parking area for the field hospital, which was to have a capacity of 220 patients. The IDF was to assume responsibility for the patients under its care, but also lean on the hospital's infrastructure for support.
IDF officials believed the agreement was final, but in light of the dwindling infections toward the tail end of the first wave, the plan remained on paper and was essentially shelved. But with infections spiking in recent weeks, Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered the army to start preparing the field hospital immediately.
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Upon initial inquiry with Ichilov, however, IDF officials were surprised to learn that the hospital had reversed course and no longer wanted to host the field hospital on its grounds.
The IDF is presently examining other options, including waiting for political leaders to decide on the issue. It should be noted that Israeli civilians have never been treated in an IDF field hospital, other than in emergency situations abroad.
