Israel’s daily Covid caseload has risen above 1,000 for the first time in two months as the country’s fifth wave of Covid-19 infections begins to take hold.
There were 1,004 new infections recorded on Sunday, according to the Health Ministry, and the country’s R number — the number of people infected by each Covid sufferer — jumped to 1.22, its highest level since August.
Earlier in the day, the office of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said government ministers had approved adding the US, Canada and eight other countries to its “red” no-fly list. Israelis will be banned from flying to these countries from Wednesday unless they have special permission.
Travelers returning from countries on the list will have to self-isolate for 7 days.
At first, they will have to stay in a designated “quarantine hotel,” before being allowed to return home as long as they return a negative PCR test result and agree to have their movements tracked.
Israel has been steadily adding countries to its red list, including the UK and Italy. Many African countries are also on it. Most of Israel’s 175 confirmed cases, and 380 suspected ones, recently returned from overseas.
On Sunday evening, Bennett held a televised news conference imploring Israelis to take the new wave seriously, and encouraging those employed in the private sector to work from home. Public sector workers are expected to follow suit next week.
He also sought to reinvigorate Israel’s stalling vaccination campaign, especially among children, where takeup has been especially weak.
“The time we bought is running out,” said Bennett, but “with God’s help we will safely overcome this wave.”