Coronavirus: Israel reports five deaths of COVID-19, and 2,400 cases

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Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday there would be “no avoiding” a complete lockdown of the country without a decrease in the rate of new coronavirus infections.

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Israel has seen five deaths and close to 2,400 cases so far.

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Citizens hoping for a stroll or jog were instructed earlier on Wednesday to stay within 100 metres of their homes for a week under tightened restrictions to curb the contagion.

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The new restrictions further reduced public transport, required employers to check workers for fever and set sanctions for people who defy rules.

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Israelis have been instructed to stay home where possible, schools have been shut and many businesses have closed, prompting more than 500,000 lay-offs.

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“If we do not see an immediate improvement in the trendline there will be no avoiding a full closure,” Netanyahu said in televised remarks. “(The decision) is a matter of a few days (away). And we are making all of the preparations for it.”

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The sight of people, out for fresh air, jogging and congregating on city streets has alarmed health authorities. The new 100-metre limit is meant to end such activity.

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The private sector has had to limit employees at the workplace to 10 people or 30% of the company’s workforce, and most of the public sector has been put on leave.

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Israelis, though, could still drive themselves to work or to shops for essentials under the new restrictions, and food delivery services were operating.

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Penalties ranging from fines to a six-month jail term were set for anyone defying the orders.

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Israel’s central bank on Tuesday projected an economic contraction of 2.5% in 2020 as long as the partial lockdown eases by the end of April.

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In his remarks, Netanyahu said his caretaker government was setting up an economic plan to help businesses and the self-employed, and that a team was set-up to prepare for the day after the virus ends.

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The coronavirus crisis comes as Israel is grappling with political deadlock after three inconclusive elections in less than a year. Netanyahu’s centrist political rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, has been tasked with forming a new coalition government.

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But neither Gantz nor Netanyahu won a stable parliamentary majority in the March 2 election and negotiations to form a unity government comprising both their parties have come to a halt in the past few days.

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