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The Health Ministry today announced that since midnight, 748 people tested positive for coronavirus in Israel.

The number of infected is now officially 13,352, the condition of whom 86 are defined critical and 34 on ventilator.

Five patients' deaths were attributed to coronavirus in the last day bringing the total official number of those who died of the virus rose to 342.

Former Defense Minister and Yamina Chairman Naftali Bennett earlier questioned government policy of sending carriers home despite figures that suggest two-thirds of infections happen at home.

"This is one of the most puzzling and serious things going on now," Bennett wrote. "Two-thirds of coronavirus infections in Israel occur at home, and yet 90% of those infected are now sent home to infect their family.

"Just today I spoke to a number of anxious carriers who are begging to be evacuated from their crowded homes, unanswered. In the first wave, we initiated 30 coronavirus hotels. We hosted many thousands of carriers. This was successful, big-time. To the best of my recollection, there was zero transmission in the hotels (maybe one staff member was infected).

"Then, the State shut down most of the hotels, and the default policy is to send people home. Then people are surprised that the epidemic erupted again. While we're busy hairsplitting about swimming pools and restaurants, the real incubator is the private home of the carriers. The isolation policy must be reinstated immediately in hotels (taking exceptions into account)."