175 new coronavirus patients were diagnosed over the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced Wednesday evening. The number of active coronavirus cases in Israel stands at 2,869, 31 patients are in serious condition, 22 of whom are on ventilators.
Yesterday there were 148 new cases over a 24-hour period.
The Education Ministry published data showing that the number of students and educational staff who have contracted the disease has risen to 433.
144 educational institutions have been closed after coronavirus patients were diagnosed in the institutions. 23,969 staff and students are in preventative isolation.
Meanwhile, hospital administrators in Israel are warning that the severe deficits created by the coronavirus crisis will cause harm to patients and create long waits for much needed care and surgery, Channel 13 News reported.
The Health Ministry significantly reduced the activity of hospitals to make room for coronavirus patients in response to the crisis, including restricting the use of elective surgery.
As a result, hospitals lost revenue at the same time in which they had to fund valuable protective equipment for medical teams, creating large budget deficits.
Yesterday, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein addressed the increase in morbidity, saying it was "alarming and dramatic" and warning that Israel could see an increase to 200 new cases a day.