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Israel Update 9.7.20

CORONAVIRUS IN ISRAEL

 

The Health Ministry reported on Thursday morning that on Wednesday  1,231 new cases were confirmed, bringing the number of active patients currently ill with the disease to 15,209. 118 patients are in a serious condition, of which 41 are ventilated, with the death toll climbing to 346.  412 patients are currently being treated in hospitals. Read more here

 

The government on Monday passed a raft of restrictions to contain the renewed coronavirus outbreak, including limiting numbers in restaurants and synagogues, reducing the number of passengers on public transportation and shutting down event halls, cultural venues, swimming pools, gyms, bars and nightclubs. Read more here

 

The Health Ministry on Monday ranked daily activities in terms of their risk of exposure to the coronavirus, with clubbing at the very top of the list, and outdoor exercise and ordering takeout carrying a low risk. Read more here

 

Professor Sigal Sadetsky, (former) head of Public Health at the Health Ministry wrote in a resignation letter on Tuesday, that Israel should expect difficult or even tragic months ahead. Saying that she had had the “privilege” to serve in her role at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus, she also said that her professional opinion was no longer accepted by the ministry.Read more here

 

MK Moshe Gafni had threatened to withdraw his ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism Party from the coalition if the government decided to close down yeshivas in the face of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Israel’s yeshivas are due to close down for summer vacation in less than a month.  Over 200 students at the Beit Matityahu Yeshiva in the predominantly ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak were diagnosed with COVID-19  recently. Read more here

 

TESTS

 

Israeli researchers have developed a highly accurate and efficient test for coronavirus antibodies, apparently the first single serological test that can spot all three of the antibodies. The test is very sensitive and accurate to around 98-99%, the researchers claim,better than the current method being used, which is rated at between 95% and 98%.Read more here

 

An Israeli company AID Genomics says it has developed a half-hour coronavirus test kit. The chief scientist said:  “To process a planeload of passengers would take me 75 minutes, and I can push it down to an hour”.  Read more here

 

TREATMENTS

 

Scientists across the globe are working on vaccines to prevent Covid-19 infection.  But in the meantime, there is an urgent need for effective treatments. This article summarises 13 potential Israeli treatments using a variety of approaches – such as placenta-derived cells, peptides, blood plasma of recovered patients, and the cannabis compound CBD. Read more here

 

PATIENT SUPPORT

 

Hadassah Medical Centre (Jerusalem) is piloting a scheme whereby recovered coronavirus patients, who have developed antibodies to the disease, provide humanitarian support to those currently infected who are in serious or moderate condition, and who would otherwise be in isolation. Read more here

 

CO-OPERATION

 

Israeli companies, Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael have signed a deal with UAE’s Group 42 in a commercial breakthrough between countries that do not share diplomatic ties.  They agreed to join forces to research and develop technology in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Read more here

 

GAZA TERROR

 

Gazans fired three rockets at Israel on Sunday. One rocket was intercepted by Israeli air defence and Israel responded with airstrikes on Hamas targets. It was the third such incident in a month. Read more here

 

MEDICAL TECH

 

Israeli company Endo GI Medical received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its technology in the field of gastroenterology. The technology is the first of its kind that allows the possibility of inserting two stents simultaneously to the bile ducts connected to the pancreas, significantly reducing the danger of exposing patients to infections and other life-threatening situations caused by the repetitive insertions of singular stents.Read more here

 

AMBASSADOR

 

The Foreign Ministry on Sunday appointed Ishmael Khaldi as Israel’s first Bedouin ambassador, to represent the country in Eritrea.He previously served as Israel’s vice-consul to San Francisco and at Israel’s embassy in the UK. Read more here

 

CYCLING

 

Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome will lead the Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN) cycling team. He will sign a long-term contract on August 1 that is expected to take him to the end of his professional cycling career. Read more here

 

 

MOTOR SPORT

 

Roy Nissany from Tel Aviv became Williams Racing’s newest test driver in January, marking the start of a relationship that could see him compete in Formula 1 if he succeeds in the feeder Formula 2 division this year with Trident MotorSport. Read more here

 

DEFENCE

 

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have developed a method to pinpoint the location of a drone operator who may be operating maliciously near airports or protected airspace by analysing the flight path of the drone, providing a solution for a new and emerging threat. Read more here

 

CHILD CAR SEAT

 

The Israeli company BabyArk announced Tuesday it has been awarded a €2.5 million grant from the European Union to develop “the safest car seat ever created” for children. The “smart” car seats will be produced based on breakthrough multiple-patented technology developed by Mobius Protection Systems, another Israeli company that manufactures blast-protected seating systems for military vehicles.  Read more here

 

FINALLY

 

Yaron Cohen, owner of Crossfit Bet Shean, a gym in Bet Shean has decided that instead of closing his gym, as per the new regulations, he will bring in shiurei torah (Bible teachings) to the gym and then 19 people* will be allowed at the same time, and they can workout while listening to the shiurei torah. Read more here

* 19 congregants currently allowed into a synagogue.