Senior Israel Officials Test Positive as Coronavirus Continues to Break Records

Israeli teen Michael, 12, receives a dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at the M
JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Tuesday saw another record-breaking caseload in Israel with nearly 44,000 new coronavirus infections, including senior government ministers as well as several thousand healthcare workers.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who is also the country’s alternate prime minister, tested positive for coronavirus on Monday.

“I feel excellent because I’m vaccinated,” Lapid, who is quarantining at home, tweeted.

Public Security Minister Omer Barlev also reported that he tested positive.

The number of seriously ill patients remained stable at 254.

A paramedic holds swab samples at the Magen David Adom (Red Shield of David) COVID-19 coronavirus testing center in the Israel coastal city of Tel Aviv on January 10, 2022. (JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

The Israeli military also had a major outbreak in recent days, with 7,395 confirmed cases as of Wednesday.

4,900 health staff were in isolation as of Wednesday, amounting to a critical shortage of personnel.

Of Israel’s population of 9.5 million, approximately 63 percent have received two vaccination shots, while around 46 percent have received three. Nearly half a million have had a fourth vaccine shot, unrolled last week to those over 60 or at risk groups.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett recently predicted that 40 percent of Israelis would become infected with omicron in the coming weeks.

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