Nachman Ash says ministry has direct relationship with pharma companies, and booster decision should be left to experts; serious cases rise as cabinet set to meet on restrictions

Active COVID-19 infections surge to nearly 8,000, but serious cases remain at around 60; health minister says 'Green Pass' and quarantine for all returnees being discussed

Ministers likely to okay move Tuesday; Health Ministry warns against travel abroad -- but says no plans to shutter airport -- as 37,000 pass through Ben Gurion

At least 10% of COVID infections in recent weeks are from returnees; officials urgently looking to impose restrictions on flights; 22,000 depart Ben Gurion on Sunday

Salman Zarka, a Bedouin professor, is already on COVID-19 advisory panel; he served in IDF for 25 years and oversaw field hospital that treated Syrian civil war wounded

Knesset speaker reportedly facing pressure to resist Health Ministry's call for Vladimir Beliak to be blocked from taking part in plenum votes, as coalition struggles to pass laws

Number of serious cases rises to 53; officials to test all of them for new subvariant, fearing it may be more contagious and virulent than predecessors

Nachman Ash insists problem being taken care of, says there is no current plan to enact new restrictions to deal with renewed outbreak

Immunocompromised Israelis will soon be able to receive a third booster dose; 6 people in Israel have died of COVID in the past week

Unvaccinated 48-year-old man and vaccinated man in his 80s succumb as daily cases keep rising; news outlets say Health Ministry inflating number of serious cases