At least six residents and three staff members at a nursing home in central Israel have tested positive for coronavirus after medical officials across Israel conducted the highest number of tests for the pathogen so far.
The Health Ministry said Saturday that at least 144 new coronavirus cases have been recorded over the past 24 hours.The ministry added they conducted at least 16,133 COVID-19 tests on Friday alone - the highest number of tests since the start of the outbreak in Israel.
Health officials said the majority of the infected at the “Ahuzat Eyal” assisted living facility in Or Yehuda, only tested positive for the virus after a second test. The initial tests showed only one out of nine residents were infected with the pathogen.
One of the infected residents has been hospitalized at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, with the rest quarantined in designated geriatric institutions.
In addition, 29 other residents and five staff members have entered a two-week isolation.
"Following a suspicion that an employee at the facility was infected with coronavirus, we demanded for tests to be conducted immediately on all residents and employees at the nursing center,” said the nursing home in a statement.
“Patients [infected with the virus] have been isolated and are not in contact with the rest of the residents."
Out of 2,372 active patients currently in Israel, only 23 are intubated. At the moment, only 101 COVID-19 patients in the country are treated in hospitals, with the rest recovering at home.