There are 16,477 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Israel as of Sunday evening with a total of 74 patients in serious condition of whom 65 are ventilated.
There are 11,430 Israelis who have recovered from the coronavirus which leaves only 4,795 active cases. Israel’s death toll currently stands at 252.
Health Ministry Deputy-Director-General Prof. Itamar Grotto said on Army Radio on Sunday morning that Israel should be prepared for another wave of the coronavirus in the summer as the rollback of restrictions take effect. He added that the coming week will be a decisive one regarding whether the government can continue with the loosening of restrictions or will have to return to imposing restrictions on movement.
As the public routine returns to a new normal, there has been criticism of the Transportation Ministry due to overcrowded bus stops and central bus stations across the country on Sunday morning. Passengers waiting at bus stops and stations were unable due to maintain social distancing as there were large crowds due to the fact that trains are not yet back in service and buses are only allowed to carry a limited amount of passengers, forcing others to wait at bus stops for prolonged periods of time.
Furthermore, there is no bus service on weekends or night and since IDF soldiers were given permission to begin using public transportation again, large groups of IDF soldiers returning from their weekend leave at home to their bases were formed at bus stops and central bus stations on Sunday morning.
Below is a photo of the crowd at the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem on Sunday morning:
שנים אני נוסע בעיקר בתחבורה ציבורית ונהנה ממנה. כבר יותר משנה אני לא מחזיק רכב( רעייתי עדין כן).
ניהול התחבצ במשבר הזה הוא שערוריה: אין תחבורה ציבורית בשבת, ובשישי, אין בערב ואין רכבת. אין פלא שיש צפיפות מסוכנת.
בתמונה: התחנה המרכזית בירושלים הבוקר.
(צילום: סוף פטישי). pic.twitter.com/o17eVAjs1A— Mossi Raz | מוסי רז | موسي راز 🟣 (@mossi_raz) May 10, 2020
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
IF we compare the statistics for Israel, Maryland (including Baltimore and the DC suburbs where most of the DC-area Jews live), and New York City – all of which have roughly the same population (7 million), we should be curious why they have totally different statistics for COVID19. Are they using different methodology (e.g. is New York attributing deaths to COVID19 under conditions which Maryland and Israel wouldn’t)? Are their criteria for testing radically different? Are Israelis (including many Hareidim, not to mention the Arabs) radically healthier than New Yorkers or Marylanders? Is some one “cooking the books” in compiling the statistics?