There are 16,608 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Israel as of Motzei Shabbos, with a total of 59 patients in serious condition of whom 49 are ventilated. The death toll has risen to 268. A total of 12,855 patients have recovered from the virus, leaving only 3,485 active cases. Following a meeting between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu‏‏, head of the National Security Council, Meir Ben-Shabbat, and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri on Thursday night, it was announced that Israel’s beaches will be re-opened to the public on Wednesday. The fact that Israel is experiencing a week-long heavy heatwave may have influenced the decision. However, although the beaches have not yet been officially opened, thousands of Israelis flocked to the beaches over the weekend amid the soaring temperatures and little attempt was made by police to disperse them. Furthermore, so many Israeli flocked to nature reserves with streams and pools to cool off from the heat that the Israel Nature and Parks Authority announced that the parks were full and asked the public to refrain from coming. Even animals in Israel are seeking relief from the heat. Two wild boars were discovered cooling off in a children’s blow-up pool in Haifa. גם חזירי הבר בחיפה מחפשים מקום להתקרר בגל החום(צילום: שירלי גוטמן)(מיכל וסרמן) pic.twitter.com/0hmIDulWV0 — כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 16, 2020 Amidst the soaring temperatures, firefighting teams were summoned to over 300 fires on Shabbos, including a large forest fire near Beit Shemesh on Shabbos morning which forced the residents of the nearby community of Tslafon to be evacuated. תיעוד השריפה באזור בית שמש בשלביה הראשוניים@SuleimanMas1 pic.twitter.com/oMgzJ0cQls — כאן חדשות (@kann_news) May 16, 2020 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made a decision on Thursday night to postpone the resumption of train service until June 1st. ”The prime minister made a decision to delay the reopening of train service until June 1st, and then resume direct lines only with no intermediate stops and with a restricted number of passengers,” outgoing Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich said. “I think it is a wrong decision that fails to balance health considerations with the needs of the economy, but he is the prime minister, he is responsible, and I will direct the trains to run according to his wishes.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
The post Israel: 16,608 Cases, 268 Deaths, Thousands Flock To Beaches Amid Sweltering Heatwave appeared first on The Yeshiva World.