The number of diagnosed cases of the coronavirus in Israeli schools continued to rise on Tuesday and many parents have been choosing to keep their children at home. According to the health ministry, there have been 217 students and staff members diagnosed with the virus, 31 schools have been closed and 9,935 students and teachers are in isolation.

A student at a Be’er Sheva high school tested positive for the virus on Tuesday and about 2,000 students and staff members were sent into quarantine until an epidemiological investigation could be carried out, according to the instructions of the health ministry. Also in Be’er Sheva, a teacher in an elementary school tested positive for the virus and the students and staff members of the school were sent into quarantine.

A student in a high school in Sderot tested positive for the virus but hasn’t attended school since last week after being exposed to a confirmed carrier. However, four other students of the high school and middle school began having symptoms of the virus and according to health ministry directions, the 870 students and 110 staff members of the school were sent into quarantine.

A teacher at a high school in Maale Adumim, near Jerusalem, who also teaches at the Hebrew Gymnasium school in Rechavia, tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. The school was closed and the students and staff were sent into quarantine.

In Cholon, where a 7th grader was already diagnosed with the virus, a second student, who is currently in quarantine, tested positive for the virus.

In Bnei Brak, a kindergartener in a gan next to the Karliner Talmud Torah was diagnosed with the virus. Since the child wasn’t in school for the past few days and he was in school for only two days last week, his classmates will enter quarantine for a few days. Meanwhile, the gan and Talmud Torah were closed until next week.

An 11th grader in the HaKfar Hayarok youth village near Tel Aviv began having symptoms of the virus and his classmates were instructed to stay home until his tests results became available.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)