Israel: Serious cases swell - "We’re at a morbidity level where countless sick people are walking around outside."

[Emily]

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news...covid-contact-tracing-falls-behind-1.10099857

As Serious Cases Swell, Israel's COVID Contact-tracing Can't Keep Up

Some 10,000 new cases were reported over the past three days, with epidemiological investigations conducted on only 40 percent of them. The military's contact-tracing center is short-staffed after cuts were made since the peak of the COVID pandemic

Ido Efrati
Aug. 9, 20
...

“The Health Ministry never held a thorough discussion about the system’s goals in principle and the question of whether it’s an effective tool in such a widespread outbreak,” one senior public health expert said. There are differences of opinion about this, he added, and many experts say that at this stage, contact tracing has become pointless.

“It’s an effective tool at the beginning of an outbreak, when you’re trying to contain it and delay its spread, but that’s not the situation right now,” he said.

“We’re at a morbidity level where countless sick people are walking around outside. Many aren’t required to quarantine, and others are required to but don’t obey the regulations. In the current situation, the benefits of this entire process are extremely limited.”

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/serious-covid-patients-hit-400-as-nearly-6000-cases-diagnosed-tuesday/

Serious COVID patients hit 400 as nearly 6,000 cases diagnosed Tuesday
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By TOI staff Today, 12:28 pm

The number of serious coronavirus cases in Israel reached 400 on Wednesday as the Health Ministry said nearly 6,000 new cases had been diagnosed the day before.

Of the 38,942 active patients, there were 87 people in critical condition and 62 people on ventilators. The death toll rose to 6,580, with 11 fatalities recorded Tuesday.

Amid a recent surge in infections, Israel has seen the number of new cases diagnosed each day rise from just a few dozen in June to thousands.

There were 5,755 COVID-19 cases found on Tuesday, slightly down from Monday’s 6,349, which was the highest tally in half a year.

Of the 142,207 virus test conducted, 4.65 percent were positive. At the beginning of the month, the rate was 2.96%...