Coronavirus: Despite lockdown, percentage of positive cases high

On Monday morning, the Health Ministry reported 6,706 new cases - 7.4% of those screened had a positive result.

By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN
Israelis perform tests for the coronavirus at a Maccabi Test Center, in Ramle. January 7, 2021 (photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)
Israelis perform tests for the coronavirus at a Maccabi Test Center, in Ramle. January 7, 2021
(photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)
Four days into Israel’s tightened third lockdown and the percentage of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus remains high.
On Monday morning, the Health Ministry reported 6,706 new cases - 7.4% of those screened had a positive result.
The number of serious cases stood at 1,044 - down from the previous day but still a near-record high for the country. Some 251 people were intubated, which appears to be the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
Still, top health experts are saying that they expect the number of serious cases at least to start to subside by the weekend, as more elderly and high-risk Israelis receive their second dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
“We are seeing the first signs of stabilization,” said Prof. Ran Balicer in an interview with KAN News on Monday morning. “In a week-and-a-half, it will be easier to make decisions about what to do next.”
Balicer serves as chairman of the government’s National Expert Advisory Panel.
His words reflected those said Sunday by coronavirus commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash, who told reporters in an afternoon briefing that “there is room for optimism. The graph does not show exponential growth but is beginning to flatten.”
Some 1,870,652 Israelis have been vaccinated thus far, according to the Health Ministry, including more than 72% of people over the age of 60.