On Friday, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman notified Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that he desires to leave the Health Ministry in favor of the Housing and Construction Ministry. The move comes in the middle of the Corona crisis and after 10 years of service at the head of the Health Ministry as either Minister of Deputy Minister. Litzman, who was once thought to be the most popular minister in the cabinet, has faced growing criticism over the past five years for his mismanagement of hospitals, his association with accused child abuser Malka Leifer, and his wanton neglect of the country’s second-largest emergency medical service organization United Hatzalah. The Prime Minister Accepted Litzman’s request and has said that he will earmark the Housing Ministry for Litzman in the coming government.

The number of Israeli fatalities as a result of the Covid-19 Coronavirus rose to 199 over the course of Shabbos according to a report from the Health Ministry. The number of people on ventilators has decreased to only 99 people.

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The Health Ministry together with the Interior Ministry recommended that two new areas be placed on lockdown due to the high number of residents infected with Corona in those areas. The areas are in Beit Shemesh and Netivot. In Beit Shemesh the neighborhoods of Nachala Umenucha and all of Kiryat Beit Shemesh Bet, both densely populated with Charedi residents. In Netivot, the neighborhoods of Netaim and Sholom Bonayich as well as the streets of Chazzani, Tzivan, Brosh, Bilu, and Gershonvitz.

The lockdown is set to begin on Sunday morning and continues for five days. During that time the Defense Ministry and Home Front Command will be in charge of making sure that the public has enough goods and food as well as providing all necessary services to aid the population of those neighborhoods.

The Interior Ministry and Treasury will be providing assistance in the neighborhoods as well.

During the cabinet meeting that was held on Friday it was decided that police will begin enforcing a fine for anyone not wearing a protective face mask covering their mouth and  nose in public. The enforcement will begin as of Monday. According to the Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan, there will no longer be warnings issued to civilians who neglect to wear masks. The enforcement will be that anyone outside will need to be wearing a mask, and not just carrying  one with them. The only exception being those who are in the middle of working out.

Low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced that they will resume flights from Tel Aviv to Vienna and Tel Aviv to London beginning on May 1st. The airline added that their service will continue provided that no new regulations banning it are presented by the government.

9 people were injured in a shooting incident that took place in the city of Nazareth. Among them are two people in serious condition. Four of those injured were transported to the English Hospital in Nazareth the rest were taken to the Italian hospital in the city. The background behind the incident is still unclear.

A 20-year-old was seriously injured when the ATV that he was riding flipped over in Beit Keshet in the Galilee. He was taken by helicopter to Rambam Hospital in Haifa.

Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Porush passed away on Shabbos in Shaare Tzedek hospital after he collapsed in his home on Friday while sitting  Shiva for his wife. His wife, Bayla Hendel Porush passed away from Corona on Monday after her condition took a sudden turn fr the worse. Their son, Chaim Lieber Mordechai is currently hospitalized with the disease and is in serious condition. He had the name Chaim added in order to help him gain a refuah.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)