Coronavirus

Samaria man recovers from COVID, gets reinfected with mutation

Samaria resident who had serious case of the coronavirus in August before recovering is reinfected - this time with South African variant.

Health Ministry confirms 5,140 new coronavirus cases

Positivity rate drops from 10% to 9.7% as number of new cases continues to fall.

Abraham Twerski, rabbi and psychiatrist, dies of coronavirus

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, hasidic rabbi and psychiatrist who specialized in substance abuse, is dead at 90.

WHO experts visit market where COVID-19 broke out

Team of experts from World Health Organization visit the seafood market in Wuhan, where the first infections emerged over a year ago.

Two IDF generals in quarantine after exposure to COVID carrier

Head of IDF Southern Command and head of Ground Forces were in the vicinity of an IDF officer who was confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.

Lockdown extended until Friday morning

Cabinet reaches compromise after lengthy argument between Netanyahu and Gantz over how long to extend the lockdown.

Watch: Israel considering extending lockdown

Israel can boast of the most successful CV-19 vaccine campaign, but also the most time spent in lockdown as it braces for another extension.

Gantz to demand partial lifting of lockdown starting Thursday

'I traveled across the country and I saw that everything is open,' says Gantz. 'We're playing games with ourselves. We need to reopen.'

Volunteers bring new life to isolated patients in COVID wards

As thousands of isolated coronavirus patients languish behind closed doors in COVID wards, volunteers working to 'bring life' to patients.

Health Minister:

'Want to spend Passover with family? Then be alone on Purim'

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein talks about the current situation and Israel's plans going forward.

Democrat Congressman gets COVID after 2nd vaccination

Fox News health specialist says tests from Israel may indicate that Rep. Lynch is not sick with virus but has it in his respiratory system.

Health Ministry again lets elderly morbidity tracker lapse

Health Ministry COVID morbidity/mortality tracker with statistics from nursing homes again lapses after resuming reports for only four days.

Despite lockdown, infection coefficient on the rise again

Magen Israel vaccination project head warns of renewed uptick in how many people are infected by coronavirus carriers.

Government to approve extension of lockdown

Blue and White will demand restrictions be eased if morbidity data continues downward trend.

Iran to receive Russian COVID vaccine

Iran's to receive first batch of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine by February 4, with more batches to follow.

US tops 26 million cases of COVID-19

As of Saturday afternoon, there were 26,012,880 confirmed cases with 438,239 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Democratic lawmaker tests positive for coronavirus

Rep. Stephen Lynch tests positive for COVID-19 after getting second dose of vaccine.

WHO: Pregnant women can receive coronavirus vaccine

WHO updates guidelines, removing recommendation against giving coronavirus vaccine to pregnant women.

'Vaccine is less effective against South African variant'

Health Min. official: No evidence of vaccine-resistant COVID-19 strain, vaccine seems less effective against South African variant.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine not as affective as Pfizer, Moderna?

While Johnson & Johnson proving just 66% effective compared to over 90% for both Pfizer & Moderna vaccines, other factors may play a role.

Coronavirus outbreak in Tel Aviv hospital

Ten staff members test positive for coronavirus after receiving both doses of vaccine.

Newborn dies of coronavirus at Jerusalem hospital

Two-month-old infant dies of coronavirus after spending three weeks unconscious and on a ventilator.

Watch: Cuomo blames federal gov't for nursing home deaths

Critics are blasting NY Gov Andrew Cuomo's press conference following AG's report on mismanagement in nursing home deaths.

Press Sec falls short on previously asked question

White House Press Sec struggles to find answer on FEMA request for active troops to be used at vaccinations after promising to deliver.

Police break up illegal party in central Israel

Police break up illegal parties in Herzliya, Jerusalem, issuing thousands of shekels in fines.

Ministry of Health to reconsider quarantine exemption

Israel's Min. of Health to consider re-instating quarantine for vaccinated individuals and those returning from abroad.

Report: Haredim regularly holding illegal weddings in London

Haredi Jews in London hold illegal weddings regularly, Jewish newspaper reveals.

52 dead of coronavirus since Friday

Nearly three million Israelis vaccinated as number of deaths passes 4,700.

US to vaccinate September 11 mastermind against coronavirus

'Inexucsable and un-American to prioritize vaccinations for terrorists over vulnerable Americans,' Rep. Elise Stefanik says.

Lockdown may be extended by one week

Knesset expected to extend lockdown, approve raising fines for coronavirus violators.

'The pandemic encourages Aliyah, but also inhibits it'

The coronavirus brings with it fear and a kind of darkness. As Jews, our light knows how to overcome this darkness as well

Coronavirus patient caught at Rishon Letzion dance party

Some 150 partiers found at illegal mass gathering in central Israel. Several participants sprayed police with pepper spray as others fled.

Lockdown to be extended Sunday

Knesset set to increase fines on lockdown violators Sunday - thereby ensuring Blue and White's support for extending lockdown.

403 COVID deaths reported in deadliest week of the pandemic

Coronavirus-related fatalities hit all-time high amid ongoing lockdown, with infection rate stabilizing at over 9%.

Jordan's King calls on Israel to vaccinate Palestinian Arabs

King Abdullah II says Israel's failure to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinian Arabs is counterproductive.

Israel to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to PA medical teams

Israel will deliver vaccines for about 1,000 PA medical workers to prevent collapse of PA's healthcare system.

Study: Novavax COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective

The vaccine also seems to work — though not quite as well — against the British and South African mutations.

Israel considering double-masking

New studies indicate that wearing double face mask assures increased COVID protection. 'The virus is forced through an obstacle course.'

What Lockdown? Thousands using public transportation

A short stroll around the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem proves what many suspect: Residents violating lockdown guidelines at will.

MDA has tested 4 million people since start of pandemic

Magen David Adom says it sampled 70,776 people to test for coronavirus last week.

NY A-G: Cuomo's Admin. underreported COVID nursing home deaths

New York Attorney General Letitia James releases report showing state may be underreporting COVID deaths in nursing homes by 50%.

Maccabi Health Fund:

Under 0.027% of recipients of 2 vaccine doses contract COVID

HMO says only 66 out of 248,000 people who received 2 vaccine doses contracted COVID, all were mild cases.

Gantz demands immediate passage of 'Fines Law'

Gantz in letter to PM: If law fails to be passed, lockdown will have limited effect that doesn't justify its existence.

Condition of women who gave birth with COVID deteriorates

New mothers put on heart-lung machines as their condition takes a turn for worse.

TGI Survey: Decreased exposure to newspapers in year of COVID

Almost all daily, weekend, newspapers experienced significant decrease in average exposure in 2020 compared to 2019, TGI survey says.

Health Minister: 'Exiting lockdown would be irresponsible'

Health Min. Edelstein warns infection rate 'refusing' to drop, average age of seriously ill coronavirus patients is getting younger.

Will there be a third dose of coronavirus vaccine?

'If vaccine isn't effective against mutation, we'll weigh third dose,' Head of Public Health Services Dr. Alroy-Preis says.

Pfizer: Vaccine effective against South African mutation

Initial study by Pfizer shows company vaccine seems to be effective against South African coronavirus mutation.

'Third wave': Average age of death from COVID-19 declining

New study shows while in first wave average age of the deceased was 81, in third wave it stands at 77.

Health Ministry: Thirty-four die in single day

Over 300 coronavirus patients still on ventilators, as death, infection, rates continue to rise.

COVID-19 virus 'censorship and confusion'

Pulse of Israel looks at availability of COVID-19 data and information and what they call 'censorship'.

Watch: Tu B'Shvat celebration at coronavirus hotel

Religious and haredi yeshiva students staying together at coronavirus hotel in Jerusalem hold a musical Tu B’Shvat seder.

Interview: Israelis starting to protest lockdowns

Many parents and children are tired of schools being closed during the epidemic. Now they are going out for a protest.

Soldier's parents, Emergency Council slam COVID vaccine pressure

Parents of IDF soldiers engage attorney as children 'face threats, sanctions, shaming, cancelled leave' for declining COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination campaign expands to Israelis 35 and older

Health Ministry orders HMOs to lower age at which vaccines can be provided as vaccination campaign progresses.

Netanyahu announces extension of lockdown

PM visits Sderot vaccine distribution center, calls on nation to act as one to stop spread of the coronavirus disease.

Israeli study:

Recovered COVID patients have immunity - even without antibodies

New study in Israel confirms that reinfections are extremely rare, suggests serologic antibody tests don't reflect immunity.

Vaccines to be sent to Gaza - without return of slain soldiers

Netanyahu has been pushing to move inoculations to the Gaza Strip without demanding the return of the bodies of slain IDF soldiers.

Ambulances transport Israel's elderly to get their vaccinations

United Hatzalah working to ease the burden for the elderly, Holocaust survivors, and disabled persons to get their vaccines.

State to fund single flight per day

With the closure of Ben-Gurion airport, the state has introduced a single flight per day for Israelis approved to leave the country.