Coronavirus: 18 more people discovered infected with ‘British mutation’
The ministry is in the process of testing another 400 samples from across the country.
By MAAYAN JAFFE-HOFFMANPeople shop at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem on January 1, 2021, during the 3rd lockdown due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
The Health Ministry has identified another 18 cases of the British mutation of coronavirus in Israel, it reported Friday afternoon, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 23.The ministry said it had tested samples of 94 people from Givat Ze’ev, Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, Beitar Illit, Modi’in Illit, Ramat Gan, Tiberias, Lakia and Kuseife. Of those, six were confirmed to have caught the variant virus abroad. The sources for the others are still under investigation.The ministry is testing another 400 samples from across the country and said in a statement that it will publish its findings when details become available.The news of the additional cases came a day after Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy told reporters on Thursday that, “the mutation obviously exists – in European countries and not just in England.”He said that “tightening and closure are increasing in areas where the mutation is common. We ask all returnees to Israel to be tested and enter isolation.”The British mutation, as it has been dubbed, was discovered earlier this month in the southeast of England and has led large parts of the country to greatly tighten restrictions. It appears to be as much as 70% more infectious than the first strains of the virus, but has not been found to change the nature of the disease.Originally, the government and the Knesset voted to require all travelers returning from abroad to isolate in state-run coronavirus hotels, as fears rose that those who may have the mutation but failed to maintain quarantine could quickly spread it.However, the Knesset voted last week to undo the move and to allow people to home-isolate if they agree to be screened for the virus. The decision was made at the recommendation of the Health Ministry.Israel has seen a spike in the virus in recent weeks, especially among the ultra-Orthodox community, and several health officials have said they thought the mutation may have entered those areas. However, as noted, so far only 23 cases have been confirmed.On Friday, the Health Ministry sent voice messages to all kosher phone subscribers asking them not to gather on Shabbat due to the rise in infection. The message recommended that people attend prayers outdoors and “take advantage of the clement weather.”“Guarding the elderly is a moral obligation,” the messages said. “We must not endanger our parents. Do not stay in enclosed spaces without ventilation – [and] wear a mask when leaving the house and avoid crowded areas.”Levy said in his briefing that all research indicates that the Pfizer vaccine is also effective against the mutation.
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