A Hebrew University study published on Friday warned that if the current rise of coronavirus infections continues at the same rate, the health system could collapse within two weeks.

“The rate of increase of hospitalized coronavirus patients on ventilators is consistent with the rate of increase in new patients,” the researchers wrote.

“This rise is expected to lead to over 100 deaths in the coming weeks. At the doubling rate, we will deteriorate to a situation in about two weeks that could lead to the failure of the health system to withstand [the number of patients], necessitating a total lockdown.”

“There is a short window of opportunity of a few days that will prevent reaching a situation of hundreds of ventilated patients,” the researchers continued. “Reaching a situation of about 400 ventilated patients at the doubling rate of 10 days will require a preventive lockdown in order to prevent the collapse of the health system. Minimizing the rate of infection is urgently needed or it will not be possible to prevent a total lockdown.”

“We’re in an emergency situation,” said Prof. Gila Rahav, director of the Infectious Disease Department at Sheba Hospital, in an interview on Reshet Bet on Sunday morning.

“We need to prevent gatherings, accelerate epidemiological investigations and provide a larger budget to the health system.”

The interviewer asked Rahav if a total lockdown is necessary and she answered that as a doctor, she definitely recommends a lockdown as necessary but ultimately there are other considerations – namely economic.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)