Shlomo Ne'eman
Shlomo Ne'emanHezki Baruch

Shlomo Ne'eman, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, announced on Thursday that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is in isolation in accordance with the directives of the Ministry of Health.

In the past few days, Ne’eman did not felt well and underwent a coronavirus test. "After a relatively long wait, I have now received the results of the test, which came back positive," Ne’eman wrote on his Facebook page.

“Right now, I'm at home, feeling well and almost without symptoms. We kept the required distances and rules in the office, so as far as I know, none of the council staff needs to stay in isolation. However, if we receive any other guidance from medical officials, we will update you,” Ne’eman added.

The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Israel climbed to 6,857 people on Thursday evening. 108 patients are in serious condition, 87 of them are on respirators. 338 patients have recovered from the virus and were released.

The death toll stands at 36. On Thursday evening, three elderly people with serious underlying conditions died of coronavirus: 84-year-old Ze'ev Greenwald of Jerusalem died at the Shaare Zedek Hospital, a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor died at the Sharon Hospital and a 98-year-old woman died at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

The woman was a tenant at the Migdal Nofim retirement home in Jerusalem. This increased the number of people who died in the home to four.