The strain on Israel’s hospitals continues as doctors are forced to cancel elective surgeries in order to focus on the growing number of coronavirus patients, Kan News reported.

The hospitals are facing a dire shortage of medical staff and beds, the most severe shortage since the pandemic began. Many hospitals have canceled from 10-40% of non-emergency surgeries and are converting surgical wards into coronavirus wards.

The report quoted the directors of Hadassah and Rambam hospital as saying: “The third wave is worse than the second, with a higher number of seriously ill patients.”

Rambam Hospital has requested that the IDF reopen the coronavirus wards it opened during the second wave and other hospitals in the north are reporting that their coronavirus wards are operating at full capacity.

Israel’s Health Ministry is expecting the situation to grow even more dire and is urging for a strict two-week closure. The coronavirus cabinet is scheduled to meet on Monday at 4 p.m. to discuss tightening the current lockdown.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)