Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv
Azrieli Mall in Tel AviviStock

The Israeli government is expected to approve lifting more economic restrictions Monday, after the coronavirus pandemic appeared to be slowing Sunday, with the lowest number of new confirmed cases in weeks.

Under the new guidelines expected to be voted on Monday, malls and markets will be reopened starting this Friday, along with gyms and sports facilities.

Restaurants, however, will remain closed, with the Health Ministry pushing to keep them shuttered until the 16th of June. The Economy and Finance ministries, however, have pushed to reopen restaurants, bars, and event halls by the end of May.

The Transportation Ministry’s licensing department is expected to reopen on Tuesday, but will only provide service to those who set appointments before arriving, Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced.

The reductions in the coronavirus lockdown come amid a dramatic drop in the spread of the virus.

On Sunday, the Israeli Health Ministry announced that the number of new confirmed cases of coronavirus over the past 24 hours had fallen to the lowest level in a month and a half, with just 29 new cases reported, compared to 188 coronavirus patients who recovered during the same 24-hour period.

The social distancing rules and business restrictions put in place over the past two months have led to a massive drop in economic activity – and a corresponding spike in unemployment, with the unemployment rate soaring from 3.5% in early March to 27.4% - the highest level on record.