Magen David Adom announced on Thursday that since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak on February 24, MDA teams have sampled 1,708,868 people. The samples were performed, during the past seven months, at a variety of sites, nationwide, in private homes, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes as part of the “Protecting Fathers and Mothers” project, educational institutions, and in MDA Drive and Test facilities.
Last week, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Home Front Command and the HMOs, MDA EMTs and paramedics sampled 137,086. On Tuesday, after Yom Kippur, MDA sampled 34,027 people, a record number for one day. 19,825 samples were taken in people’s homes and 55,678 at MDA's and Home Front Command’s Drive and Test facilities.
According to MDA data, since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, 301,201 samples were taken in people's homes.
561,520 samples were taken at MDA's Drive and Test facilities operating in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Home Front Command and HMOs. Of those, 67,625 were sampled in Ganey Yehoshuah in Tel Aviv, 106,308 were sampled in Jerusalem, of those in 68,155 Teddy complex In Jerusalem, 14,314 in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, 21,169 in Hadera, 17,548 in Haifa, 17,500 in Ashdod, 17,373 in Netanya, 16,943 in Bnei Brak, 16,694 in Kfar Sava, 15,290 in Um al-Fahm, 12,405 in Rishon le Zion, 12,170 in Beer Sheva and 11,893 were sampled in Lod. In addition, as needed, Magen David Adom operates additional Drive and Test complexes throughout the country.
MDA is continuing to operate the Drive and Test facilities, whilst also carrying out testing in nursing homes and long term care facilities throughout the country. In addition, as needed, MDA teams will sample those who are homebound.
To date, MDA sampled 3,749 travelers who returned to Israel from abroad at a special stand in Ben Gurion airport.
In addition, MDA paramedics have taken 3,000 serological tests, and evacuated thousands of confirmed patients from their home for hospitalization.
MDA's 101 Emergency Call Centers also show a significant increase in citizen inquiries, which reached 24,137 calls a day this week, an increase of about 400% compared to a routine day.
Along with taking more 1,700,000 of samples for coronavirus, MDA blood services continue to collect plasma from those who have recovered from the Coronavirus for the treatment of severely ill patients and the production of a passive vaccine. To date, those who have recovered from coronavirus have donated approximately 8,109 plasma units. 2,176 units have been given to 1,088 coronavirus patients in moderate and severe condition (2 units each).
MDA is continuing its activity of sampling in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Home Front Command and the four HMOs and carrying out verified patients’ transfers to hospitalization, all in addition to the organization’s routine and emergency activities.