The city with the most coronavirus patients is Bnei Brak at 34% of those tested, according to data shared by the Ministry of Health to the Hebrew website Ynet. Some 10% of Jerusalemites and 6% of Tel Avivians who were screened for the novel virus tested positive.
The data shows the severity of the outbreak among the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) population, many pockets that have refrained from following the Health Ministry’s guidelines. Already on Tuesday morning, Police were forced to break up a minyan of 10 people in the haredi neighborhood of Mea Shearim - the morning after the government approved measures that require people to pray on their own.
Coronavirus test site for the residents of Bnei Brak (photo credit: ROI HADI)
In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Tal Brosh, head of the infectious disease at Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital explained that the country's total number of cases is "going up in a steady way and that is not so good but that is also because the number of tests being done is increasing."
However, Brosh said that "my concern now is the haredim," who are not practicing social distancing, which could lead to a spike in cases "very quickly. If Bnei Brak residents do not stop gathering at weddings, prayers, mikvaot ... we could see a surge within a few weeks."
Testing for the coronavirus in Bnei Brak is to be increased with dedicated testing sites opened in the city. As of Monday, 1,462 residents had been tested.
Testing for coronavirus in Bnei Brak (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
On Tuesday morning, Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman said that the health funds will open four testing branches in the city. Anyone with a fever over 38 degrees Celsius or who is coughing or having difficulty breathing will be able to make an appointment to be tested.
In Tel Aviv, 4,380 tests for the virus were conducted and a moderate increase in cases was reported. The largest number of tests have been carried out in Jerusalem where 5,368 people had already tested for the virus.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said on Tuesday that he proposed a total lockdown on Bnei Brak, "I proposed to the prime minister and Interior Minister to put Bnei Brak on lockdown," said Litzman. "The situation there is horrible. Every day we stall, we put lives at risk."
Testing for coronavirus in Bnei Brak (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The Health Ministry releases information on the number of virus cases in Israel’s cities (31.03.2020 - 11.30AM)
It shows the Haredi city of Bnei Brak trailing Jerusalem, which is five times larger, by some 80 cases.
Jerusalem — 650
Bnei Brak — 571
Tel Aviv — 278
Ashkelon — 114
Rishon Lezion — 103
Petach Tikva — 96
Netanya — 83
Beersheba — 83
Ashdod — 81
Ramat Gan — 81
Bat Yam — 76
Beit Shemesh — 76
Holon — 75
Migdal Ha’emek — 72
Elad — 68
Haifa — 67
Raanana — 57
Rehovot — 53
Herzliya — 53
Efrat — 52
Modiin Illit — 48
Beitar Illit — 38
Lod — 37
Kiryat Ono — 33
Tiberias — 32
Kfar Saba — 36
Ramat Hasharon — 28
Ramle — 25
Hod Hasharon — 25
Kiryat Gat — 22
Givatayim — 22
Hadera — 20
Safed — 19
Nahariya — 16
Sderot — 13
Kiryat Ata — 12
Rosh Ha’ayin — 10
Rahat — 4
Nazareth — 3