David Bitan
David BitanHillel Meir/TPS

MK David Bitan has been transferred back to the coronavirus ICU following a slight deterioration in his condition overnight. Bitan is currently hospitalized in Sheba hospital in Tel Hashomer.

Bitan’s family issued a statement saying that, “MK Bitan has been transferred to the ICU due to the need for him to receive a specific form of treatment there. Aside from this issue, he is continuing to recover and in all likelihood, he will be returned to a regular ward once the program of treatment concerned is completed. The family would like to thank hospital staff for the dedicated care, and also to thank everyone who has been praying for David’s recovery.”

Finance Minister Yisrael Katz visited Bitan in hospital a few days ago and following the visit, wrote on his Facebook page that, “I paid a very emotional visit to my good friend MK David Bitan in hospital. I’m delighted to be able to report that he is making an excellent recovery. I told him that we are reserving him a space on the Likud party’s list for the next Knesset, and I wished him the very best of health. Everyone is waiting for him to get back.”

Bitan was first diagnosed with coronavirus at the beginning of December. When his condition took a dramatic turn for the worse, he was admitted to Sheba’s ICU and connected to a heart-lung machine. Last Friday, his condition had improved sufficiently to enable him to be moved out of the ICU to a regular internal medicine ward.