Baruch Dayan Ha’emes. The founder and chairman of the Gift of Life Association (Matnas Chaim), Rabbi Yeshayahu Haber ZT”L, passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 55 after contracting the coronavirus. Nearly 1,000 people donated a kidney thanks to his activities. Rabbi Haber passed away in Hadassah Ein Kerem after contracting the virus and being admitted to their isolated department for those ill with the disease. On Thursday afternoon, his situation began to deteriorate rapidly. He was intubated and put on a ventilator. Rabbonim added the name Raphael to his name in order to try to save him and his family asked that people say Tehillim across the globe. Unfortunately, these efforts did not change the end result and Rabbi Haber died later on Thursday evening.

An alarming incident occurred in  Tiveria when an 86-year-old man who had seemingly completely recovered from the coronavirus and was released from the hospital after testing negative twice for the virus had a relapse, a Channel 12 News report said. The man was re-admitted to the hospital due to serious breathing difficulties and tested positive for the coronavirus again. He is now in serious condition, sedated and on a ventilator. “There have been similar incidents in the world,” a member of the medical staff at Poriyah said. “We currently have no explanation for what happened.

FBI agents raided a business at a warehouse in Lakewood, New Jersey, Wednesday morning. A team of at least two dozen agents wearing face masks descended upon the businesses located on Swarthmore Avenue around 4:30 p.m. but declined to speak to reporters about what they were doing, according to the Asbury Park Press. Photos and video of the visit to the metal warehouse in a light industrial area on Swarthmore Avenue in Lakewood posted by the Lakewood Scoop show Lakewood police vehicles, as well agents wearing masks and FBI windbreakers coming in and out of an area with a sign for Deco Tile. According to NJ.com they were seen carrying out boxes, with some labeled “respirators.” The search warrant was part of an ongoing investigation into businesses selling medical equipment.

YWN regrets to inform you of the Petira of Hagaon HaRav Mordechai Marcus ZT”L, the Rov of the Beth Medrash Govoha Minyan (Lakewood Minyan) in Flatbush. The Levaya will be held at 11:00AM today in Lakewood, and can be accessed via Zoom meeting ID 87869821149 password 024588. Call in +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 558 8656 with same meeting ID and password as above. IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NIFTAR, PLEASE NOTIFY YWN Boruch Dayan HaEmmes… (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Thousands of people lined up in just a few moments notice to donate plasma to possibly save the lives of critically ill COVID-19 patients. The testing was arranged by Lakewood Bikur Cholim and held at three locations in Flatbush, one site in Boro Park, and one site in Baltimore. The approval for the testing was given to Lakewood Bikur Cholim late Tuesday afternoon, but with tremendous Siyata Dishmaya, and the help of Hatzolah, Yachad and Shomrim volunteers who worked through the night, the multiple testing sites were Bichasdei Hashem set up. YWN had published a request late Tuesday night looking for people trained in drawing blood to help, and Boruch hashem many people responded and greatly assisted.

A small study of five critically ill COVID-19 patients at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City could have major implications for how doctors respond to the virus going forward. The investigation found patients with the most severe COVID-related pneumonia and respiratory distress showed immediate improvements when they were given drugs that break up blood clots. Dr. Hooman Poor, Mount Sinai Director of yj8K Vascular Disease, led the study. He says physicians across the globe have noticed COVID patients experiencing serious blood clots all over their anatomy and often in the tubes that re-circulate blood during dialysis.

A large fire broke out moments ago at Jerusalem’s City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, and police are investigating it as a possible terror attack. Multiple reports state that an eyewitness has told police that he witnessed someone throwing a molotov cocktail into the building. A spokesperson for City Hall tells the media in a written statement that Police have arrested a suspect. The entire building evacuated as fire fighting crews raced to the scene. The fire is in the main building of the complex. Attached videos provided to YWN show the fire in what appears to be the basement / first floor. It does not appear that anyone was injured. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerussalem)

Today, Wednesday, there is an emergency plasma drive in Flatbush and Boro Park. This drive will allow you to join the growing community of COVID-19 survivors who are mobilizing to fight COVID-19. With the recognition by the medical community that recovered COVID-19 patient blood plasma can save lives, Boro Park Hatzolah, Yachad D’Bobov, Flatbush Hatzolah and Lakewood Bikur Cholim partnering with Mayo Clinic is offering COVID-19 IGG antibody testing for the purpose of identifying candidates eligible to donate plasma in our community. They will be holding a plasma testing drive Wednesday, April 22, 2020. If you had COVID-19, consider donating your blood plasma for plasma-derived therapy. You can help save someone’s life.

A second coronavirus outbreak could emerge this winter in conjunction with the flu season to make for an even more dire health crisis, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told The Washington Post in an interview. “There’s a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said in a story published Tuesday. “And when I’ve said this to others, they kind of put their head back, they don’t understand what I mean.” “We’re going to have the flu epidemic and the coronavirus epidemic at the same time,” he added, predicting a dual assault on the health care system.

A tornado warning has been issued for Manhattan and the Bronx, as well as Nassau and Westchester counties until 3 p.m. as a storm system that brought similar warnings through the Southeast pummels the tri-state area. The rare warning came as radar notched 60 mph winds just east of the city. In addition to the tornado warning, a severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Westchester County, until 3 p.m. The warning also applies to New Jersey’s Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties, as well as Connecticut’s Fairfield County (until 3:15 p.m). Much of the region is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 5 p.m. (AP)