Israel's COVID-19 deaths reach average of 30+ a day

The average age of people who died from the pandemic is now 78.5 - a drop from 80.4 in the beginning of September.

By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMAN
Updated: JANUARY 7, 2021 00:27
Israelis are seen walking in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market amid the coronavirus pandemic, on January 6, 2021. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Israelis are seen walking in Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda market amid the coronavirus pandemic, on January 6, 2021.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
The country’s death toll has been climbing at an alarming rate, according to data provided to The Jerusalem Post by the Health Ministry, reaching 3,512 on Wednesday.
On average 32 people have died each day in the past week, according to the data. Some 50 people succumbed on Tuesday alone. There have been 18 deaths per day on average since December 1.
For perspective, 625 people died in September and 970 deaths were recorded in October, at the height of the second wave, dropping dramatically in November to 324 deaths, then rising to 473 in December.
Some 174 people have succumbed to the virus in the first week of January. If this pace continues, then around 900 deaths can be expected by the end of this month.
The average age of people who died from the pandemic is now 78.5 - a drop from 80.4 recorded in early September.
To stave off worsening numbers the country prepares to enter a strict lockdown on Thursday at midnight.
Police have said they plan to deploy 5,000 officers and place roadblocks around  the country to prevent violations of the government regulations, up to 15 by day, 25 in the evening and 12 at night.
Ahead of the lockdown, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein paid a visit to a Meuhedet health fund anti-coronavirus vaccination facility in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

“Right now, we are putting everyone under a tight lockdown for the next two weeks” because the country is running two races against the virus,” Netanyahu said, one to lower infection and the other to get vaccinated.
He said that with God’s help “we will succeed and the vaccination campaign will overcome the disease and we can open the economy more than any other country in the world.”
He added, “With lockdown, economic support and millions of vaccines we will get out of this nightmare and return to life.”
Edelstein said that he has been asked in recent days if a lockdown was necessary, to which he responded: “Either a full lockdown or an increase in morbidity.”
According to a poll conducted for Channel 12, the majority (57%) supports this lockdown and is therefore more likely to adhere to the rules.
However, the final list of regulations was not available by 9 p.m. on Wednesday, despite the lockdown being due to take effect 27 hours later. According to a source close to one of the ministers in the meeting, there were many disagreements over the details of the rules.
A full list of regulations was expected to be passed by midnight.
How long will the lockdown last?
Already, the Health Ministry is saying that two weeks might not be long enough to sufficiently lower infection.
There were 1,464 coronavirus patients being treated in the country's hospitals on Wednesday, including 887 people in serious condition, among them 210 who were intubated.
Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy told KAN Radio on Wednesday morning that “of course, anything can happen” because “time is not the main factor, the rate of infection is.”
He said that he hopes the public completely abides by the lockdown.
“We are on a slippery slope," Levy said. ”If people are not careful, we are playing with fate."