Israel’s Health Ministry announced that 3,716 people tested positive for Corona on Friday and an additional 1,317 people tested positive on Shabbos. There are currently 1,095 people hospitalized as a result of the Coronavirus, among them are 710 people who are in serious condition and 234 on respirators. The total number of fatalities since the virus began is 5,856.

The Israeli government ratified the third stage of the loosening of the lockdown regulations which will take effect as of tomorrow morning. As a result of the loosening of these rules, grades 7-10 will return to school in green, yellow, and borderline orange cities. Additionally, event halls will re-open according to the green passport regulations with a maximum capacity of no more than 50% or a maximum number of 300 people. Restaurants will be allowed to seat customers once again who have the green passport, with a maximum capacity of 75%, or no more than 100 people. Outdoor seating will be available to everyone with a minimum space of 2 meters between tables. Israelis will be allowed to return to Israel from seven locations in the world and will be able to do isolation at home providing they agree to wear a tracking bracelet. The measuring of temperatures will not be mandatory in public spaces or at the entrance to workplaces.

The Education Ministry publicized that 76 percent of all educational staff in Israel, have received both doses of the Coronavirus vaccine, or are recovering from the virus. An additional 15 percent have received the first dose of the vaccine and are waiting for their second dose. The report also showed that 35 percent of all Charedi educators contracted the virus over the past year, as opposed to 10 percent of educators from the regular education system and 16 percent from the Arab education system.

Approximately 1,000 people gathered for the weekly protest against the Prime Minister and his handling of the Coronavirus crisis in Paris square and on Balfour Street in Jerusalem. Dozens of protesters also took up the weekly protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence in Caesarea.

A man in his forties riding an electric bicycle was killed in a motor vehicle accident in the Savyonei Yam neighborhood of Kiryat Yam. The driver of the vehicle that hit the cyclists, a 27-year-old man from Kiryat Yam, fled the scene at first. Later he returned to the scene and turned himself into police. Police are investigating the incident.

A man in his 20s was seriously injured after he was stabbed in an act of violence in the town of Deir al-Assad in the Galilee. The man was transported to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya. Police have opened an investigation into the incident, including a local search for suspects.

Police discovered a nature party taking place in the Zin valley in the Negev. The party consisted of some 600 participants who constructed a tent complex that included four different dance floors. Three DJs were arrested and 80 tickets were handed out to participants for non-compliance with Coronavirus regulations. The electrical generators supplying the party were shut off and the police ordered the participants to go back to their tents due to the late hour. They were disbursed by the police the next morning.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)