Netanyahu Says Israel in Emergency Due to Coronavirus
Israel’s cabinet will reconvene to decide on new restrictions and will present a plan within the next few days.
(Bloomberg) --
Israel is in a state of emergency due to a resurgent coronavirus outbreak, and additional steps are needed to try to stem the spread, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
The cabinet will reconvene within the coming day to decide on new restrictions and will present a plan within the next few days to address the economic challenges the pandemic is posing, he said at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting.
Parliament “cannot behave as though it’s business as usual,” Netanyahu said.
The number of coronavirus cases in the country has surged since the government started easing strict lockdown measures in late April.
There are currently 29,366 confirmed cases in Israel, including 330 fatalities, with as many as 1,100 new cases reported daily in the past week. This compares with some 13,000 cases and 164 fatalities in mid-April. There are currently 11,200 active cases, compared with less than 10,000 during the first wave of the pandemic, according to Health Ministry figures.
©2020 Bloomberg L.P.