[Very similar to the data obtained from Italy, we now have numbers to see from Israel. Of 298 cases, only 4 were considered as serious (1.3%) - 24% were asymptomatic and an additional 16% had only fever. Only 9 cases considered as "moderate". No deaths reported]
Yet, we see this below; this article panics over the idea of 10,000 people getting coronavirus. Based on the (good) numbers above, 1.3% (serious cases) of 10,000 is only 130 patients. Their hospitals can't handle 130 patients? This represents another big disconnect between the actual numbers and the reaction:
Israel expands lockdown amid forecast of 10,000-coronavirus victims. Idle hotels turn into quarantine hospitals
More population groups will be confined to their homes in the expanded lockdown announced by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday night, March 16 after the number of coronavirus victims rose to 277. Health Ministry director Moshe Bar Simantov warned that the rate of infections was gaining momentum and doubling itself at high speed. If Israel fails to declare a total lockdown on the country, he warned that the number of covid-19 cases forecast will reach 10,000 in 10 days to two weeks.
The Health Ministry on Monday night said the number of COVID-19 cases in Israel has climbed to 298, as data shared by the authorities showed that one-quarter of those infected by the coronavirus showed no symptoms.
Four of the cases were in serious condition and nine were showing moderate symptoms.
The data, based on 250 confirmed cases in Israel, underlined that 59 (24 percent) were asymptomatic upon diagnosis, 66 (26%) experienced respiratory symptoms, but no fever, while 41 (16%) ran a fever, but had no breathing difficulties or cough.
A plurality (74 cases, 29%), though still under one-third, had both a fever and respiratory symptoms — the conditions under which Israel’s emergency services are most likely to grant a COVID-19 test to those who have not returned from abroad or been in direct contact with someone infected. The symptoms in 11 other cases were classified as “unknown.”
The ministry did not specify how those who were asymptomatic were identified as carrying the virus, but health authorities have been testing those exposed to confirmed cases.
According to the Health Ministry figures, most of those carrying the virus had recently returned from abroad, though spread within Israel was catching up (98 cases).
The country with the largest numbers of Israeli travelers who were later diagnosed with COVID-19 was Spain, with 21 cases. Sixteen had recently returned from Italy and Austria, respectively, followed by 14 who came from France. Twelve of the cases had entered Israel from the United States, and another dozen from the United Kingdom. Eight each of those sick with the coronavirus had returned from Germany and Egypt.
Israel also saw two cases each among recent travelers to the Netherlands and Bulgaria, and a single case each from Belgium, Azerbaijan, Tunis, Japan, Malta, and Denmark.
Yet, we see this below; this article panics over the idea of 10,000 people getting coronavirus. Based on the (good) numbers above, 1.3% (serious cases) of 10,000 is only 130 patients. Their hospitals can't handle 130 patients? This represents another big disconnect between the actual numbers and the reaction:
Israel expands lockdown amid forecast of 10,000-coronavirus victims. Idle hotels turn into quarantine hospitals
More population groups will be confined to their homes in the expanded lockdown announced by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday night, March 16 after the number of coronavirus victims rose to 277. Health Ministry director Moshe Bar Simantov warned that the rate of infections was gaining momentum and doubling itself at high speed. If Israel fails to declare a total lockdown on the country, he warned that the number of covid-19 cases forecast will reach 10,000 in 10 days to two weeks.
The IDF has been enlisted for the first time to help deal with the emergency. The Homeland Defense Command has taken over hotels in the main cities – idle for lack of tourists – for use as centers for the treatment of quarantined coronavirus patients to ease the burden on the hospitals.
While abstaining from a comprehensive national lockdown at this time, the prime minister nonetheless announced more steps in addition to the stringent restrictions already in place.
Economic activity already reduced will be shrink further by placing the public sector on emergency footing. Most of the work force in government ministries is to be put on unpaid leave until after the Passover holiday. Public institutions including banks will cut down on staff at their desks and public transport scaled down. This latest package is in effect a compromise between the demands of the health authorities and the determination by the ministry of finance that the economy cannot withstand a complete lockdown. Furthermore, digital surveillance of confirmed cases will be in force for 30 days.
The crisis took another sharp turn on Monday with a flood of complaints from hospitals and medical institutions of a severe shortage of equipment for coping with the disease, and lack of protective gear for medical staff.
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