Coronavirus testing center
Coronavirus testing centerYossi Aloni/Flash90

For the second day in a row, the number of newly-diagnosed coronavirus cases broke 3,000, with 3,313 new cases diagnosed Tuesday.

Monday saw 3,842 new coronavirus cases diagnosed.

A total of 3.36% of coronavirus test results received Tuesday were positive, and 98,663 tests were performed.

Meanwhile, Israel has 449 hospitalized coronavirus patients, 229 of whom are in serious condition. The R naught is currently 1.34.

As of Wednesday morning 29 localities had turned "red," 88 were "orange," and 181 were "yellow."

Following the conclusion of Tuesday night's Coronavirus Cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, "It seems that most likely we will have no way to avoid a lockdown, unless the mass vaccination of those aged 60 and up reduces the number of seriously ill patients within a few weeks."

Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) said, "We need to prepare the public for the possibility of a month-long lockdown in September, when its economic impact will be minimal. At the same time, we must speed up the vaccination efforts in order to try to prevent the lockdown."

Also on Tuesday night, the Coronavirus Cabinet agreed on a list of new restrictions, including a requirement to wear masks at outdoor events, and a requirement that public sector employers reduce office occupancy by 50%.