Israeli police will begin using drones when enforcing restrictions to combat the coronavirus, Channel 12 News reported on Tuesday.
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The move comes within the framework of a comprehensive enforcement campaign launched by the police on Tuesday to try to stem the tide of the fourth wave.
The drones will be fitted with a loudspeaker through which officers will encourage people to wear masks, the report said.
The report added that the police will focus their efforts on cities with high infection rates, including Hadera, Rehovot, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, and Yavne.
In the last 24 hours, 6,275 new cases have been identified, with 394 people in serious condition and 64 on ventilators. The positivity rate for screening tests is 4.84 percent.
"Israel is fighting a war against the Delta variant, which is pummeling the entire world. As in every war, the defense establishment, the IDF, its commander and soldiers, are at the forefront – with health officials, in this case – and are doing outstanding work on all fronts: vaccinations, testing, outreach to citizens, and contact tracing," Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Tuesday while visiting the headquarters of the Home Front Command's Alon Epidemiological Investigations Task Force headquarters.
According to the police, the nationwide operation, which will consist of thousands of police officers, is a top priority, will come at the expense of other routine law enforcement duties, and will consist of three central elements: enforcing home isolations, the so-called "Green Pass," and mask-wearing.
Bennett said at a recent meeting of the coronavirus cabinet that the Delta variant was four times more infectious than the original variant.
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