There are currently 18,180 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Israel as of Wednesday, an increase of 88 new cases since Tuesday night.

The number of active cases has risen to an alarming 2,761, after the number of cases had dropped to below 2,000 in May. A total of 31 patients are in serious condition, of whom 24 are ventilated. The death toll remains at 299.

United Airlines announced on Wednesday that it is resuming flights between San Francisco and Tel Aviv on June 10 on its standard schedule of three times a week.

United Airlines was one of the few airlines which continuously operated flights to Ben-Gurion Airport even during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, maintaining a daily flight from Newark Airport to Ben-Gurion.

The Health Ministry instituted a change on Tuesday regarding the status of coronavirus carriers, who until now were required to test negative twice for the coronavirus before being released from quarantine.

The ministry informed the Kupot Cholim (HMOs) that coronavirus carriers can now be released from quarantine after 30 days if they weren’t hospitalized during that time and are no longer experiencing symptoms. Once 30 days have passed, patients can be released even if their last test for the coronavirus showed positive results. The reason for the change is that – according to the health ministry – new research shows that coronavirus carriers will not transmit the virus to others after 30 days.

It should be noted that until now, there were coronavirus patients who were in quarantine up to 70 days until they finally tested negative for the virus.

Science and Technology Minister Yizhar Shai (Blue & White) put himself into quarantine on Wednesday after his assistant tested positive for the coronavirus. His entire staff is also entering quarantine.

An interesting fact about Shai, who seemingly lives a secular lifestyle, is that ever since he met the Kretshnifer Rebbe at the engagement party of Chareidi media advisor Rafi Perlshtein last year, he began visiting the Rebbe on a regular basis and in fact just visited him on Tuesday to receive advice about a personal matter, according to a report by Kikar Shabbat.

השר יזהר שי מ'כחול לבן' ביקר אצל האדמו"ר מקרעטשניף https://t.co/mcjs1Rpz8j pic.twitter.com/Z0XASX8b5L

— כיכר השבת (@kikarhashabat) June 9, 2020

Shai had just concluded a speech at a memorial ceremony for Amit Ben-Yigal, the Golani soldier murdered last month when he received the results, forcing him to leave the event early.

Last week, Joint List MK Sami Abu Shehadeh (Balad) tested positive for the coronavirus, closing the Knesset and forcing many of his fellow Arab MKs to enter quarantine.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)