A total of 518 new coronavirus cases were detected in Israel on Wednesday, representing 0.7% of test results received that same day.
On Wednesday, 74,421 coronavirus tests were conducted.
Of the 3,568 active coronavirus cases around Israel, 78 patients are currently hospitalized, and 46 are in serious condition. These numbers represent a dramatic rise from last Thursday, when just 29 were in serious condition, and from Saturday, when 58 were hospitalized and 31 were in serious condition.
Despite this, the number of critically ill patients has remained relatively stable, rising from 17 to 18, and the number of coronavirus patients on ventilators has remained 16, with the number of dead holding steady at 6,429.
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) told Galei Zahal: "We are not avoiding restrictions - we are making decisions carefully, in accordance with the situation - differently than what we had last year. If we see that it is becoming out of control, we will be forced to take harsh measures as well."