According to the Health Ministry, one in every 11 tests for coronavirus was found to be positive on Thursday with 1,967 new cases confirmed.
There are currently 328 people hospitalized in serious condition, 102 of them on ventilators. fter the death of six more people, the death toll has reached 499.
There are 25,628 people battling COVID-19, 8,280 of them confirmed ill this past week.
After 24,284 tests conducted on Wednesday, 8.1% were found to be positive.
The contagion rate in Jerusalem remains high as well as in predominately ultra-orthodox Bnei Brak, Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit and Elad.
Some Arab communities were also described as hotspots including Taibeh, Qalasweh, and Kafar Manda.
A mother and her daughter are both hospitalized in serious condition at the Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod. Hospital officials warn of contagion within families that occur when those infected with COVID-19 are not removed for care outside the home.
Since the start of the pandemic 69,603 people have been ill with the virus.