Death count rises to 5; 2,030 corona cases in Israel

Israel is making an effort to bring in enough medical supplies to cope with the outbreak.

By World Israel News Staff

Israel counted its fourth and fifth death in quick succession on Wednesday shortly after announcing a third death on Tuesday.

The fifth fatality was a 76-year-old man. It is not yet known if he had an underlying condition.

The fourth, who died on Tuesday, was an 87-year-old man with a serious medical condition. This is in keeping with the profile of those most vulnerable to the disease.

Israel’s Health Ministry released its latest numbers on Wednesday morning, according to which there are 2,030 cases – 1,876 of them light, 54 moderate and 37 serious. Fifty-eight patients have recovered.

The Ministry also says it has conducted inspections in 24 hospitals for outbreak readiness. Five “corona hotels” have been prepared to accept light cases of the disease.

Israel is making an effort to bring in enough medical supplies to cope with the outbreak. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delegated responsibility for obtaining urgent supplies to head of the Mossad Yossi Cohen and Director General of the Defense Ministry Udi Adam.

Netanyahu spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and the purchase of medical supplies. Medical experts from both countries will be in constant contact on the issues.

Israel’s attention has turned from masks, the production of which has been assigned to companies in-country, to ventilators. Ventilators are necessary for urgent cases as coronavirus can cause difficulty breathing.

Israel wants to avoid the situation facing Italy, in which a ventilator shortage has forced medical staff to choose between patients based on who has a better chance of survival.