Israeli health officials sounded an alarm this week, warning Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that there could be thousands of coronavirus patients requiring hospitalization within weeks. In a meeting on Tuesday evening, senior medical experts told Bennett that they expect about 4,800 coronavirus patients to be hospitalized by September 10, with about half requiring acute care, a scenario that would severely strain Israel’s medical system. Directors of hospital internal medicine wards told Health Ministry Director Nachman Ash on Wednesday that they are already dealing with overcrowding and fear their beds will be moved to coronavirus wards. In an apparent attempt to treat rather than avoid the predicted number of serious cases and resulting deaths, Bennett approved a plan on Wednesday for an immediate NIS 2.5 billion infusion into the healthcare system to cope with the COVID crisis. The funds are intended to hire 2,000 additional doctors, nurses and other medical staffers and add 770 hospital beds. Israel confirmed about 6,000 new coronavirus cases on Thursday morning for the third day in a row, a dramatic spike of cases from only a few dozen a day just weeks ago. There are currently 748 hospitalized virus patients, of whom 421 are seriously ill and 65 are ventilated. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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