There are 433 Israelis diagnosed with the coronavirus as of Wednesday, a jump of 96 from Tuesday night, the Health Ministry announced. Six are in serious condition and 11 patients have recovered. 

A Channel 12 News report said that the spike in new cases is at least partially a result of increased testing. 

Two of the newly diagnosed patients are an MRI technician at Shaare Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem and his baby son. 

Shaarei Tzedek staff members who have been in contact with the technician were instructed to self-quarantine and the details of all the patients who were in the unit are being recorded and sent to the Health Ministry which will issue instructions about self-quarantine. 

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Another newly diagnosed patient is a Hadassah Ein Kerem emergency room nurse. An investigation has been opened to identify the patients she has been in contact with.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman wrote a letter to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein on Wednesday, informing him that he will not enter the Knesset in the near future due to the coronavirus, Litzman, 71, added that his doctor told him the Knesset was not a safe place for him to visit due to the presence of the MKs, who are in contact with a high number of people. 

Four Knesset members are currently in quarantine after a meeting with Shai Hajaj, the Merhavim Regional Council head, who was subsequently diagnosed with the coronavirus, including Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas), Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud), Ram Ben Barak (Blue and White) and Alon Shuster (Blue and White). 

All 120 members of the Knesset will be tested for the coronavirus on Wednesday. 

Israel Police filed charges against an Israeli on Wednesday for breaking quarantine, the first indictment of its kind since the coronavirus pandemic began. 

The patient is accused of leaving his home three times in less than three days.

A police spokesperson said that 86 criminal cases have been opened against quarantine violators.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)