Medical team in hospital
Medical team in hospitaliStock

The Ministry of Health announced on Sunday evening that a senior employee of the ministry’s central laboratory has been infected with the coronavirus and is in isolation.

The Ministry of Health is working on creating alternatives for testing through teams from other laboratories.

Earlier, it was reported that the head of one of the wards at the Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv was found to have contracted coronavirus.

The doctor showed minimal symptoms, and when she developed a fever she went into isolation and was tested. The test results confirmed that she had contracted COVID-19.

All patients in the ward have been tested and the patients who were exposed to the physician were identified and released to their homes. All have been ordered to remain in isolation.

The staff who have been in contact with the doctor have been in isolation from the moment the test came back positive.

The number of cases of coronavirus in Israel stands at 213 as of Sunday night. Among the patients, two are in isolation in serious condition, 12 are in moderate condition, 195 in light condition and four have recovered.

Police said that 52 criminal cases have been opened so far against civilians who have violated their required home isolation. Police have visited hundreds of businesses across the country in recent days, with the vast majority fully complying with the Ministry of Health's guidelines.

The Investigations and Intelligence Division has launched an investigation against seven civilians on suspicion of spreading fake news about the spread of the coronavirus.