Israeli man, 82, dies of Coronavirus in Italy
Shmuel Sifri, 82 of Haifa, died in Italy after suffering from Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Foreign Ministry announced Saturday.
Policemen patrolling the streets of Jerusalem’s Ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood, Mea Shearim, enforcing the Israeli government strict new lockdown across the country, due to the increasing numbers of Coronavirus infected and to prevent its spread. Jerusalem, Mar 26, 2020. Photo by Yehonatan Valtser/TPS
Sifri was on a cruise with his wife near Turin in northern Italy, now the epicentre of Corona in the world.
After being diagnosed as a Corona patient, he was hospitalized in Italy and after several days passed away. His wife is hospitalized in a military facility in Turin.
The Ministry of Health on Sunday morning updated that the number of Corona patients in Israel was 3,865, with 66 in serious condition, 82 in moderate condition, and 89 who have recovered.
A total of 12 Israelis have died of the virus, all elderly people with previous illnesses.
The global mortality rate from COVID-19 now stands at four people for every million people. Israel ranks 55th in mortality with a death rate of one in a million.
Israel is nearing a complete lockdown. The security forces are gearing up and the government is working on the logistic and legal parameters for such an eventuality.
The IDF is awaiting directives from the government to deploy soldiers who will assist in enforcing the closure. Soldiers will be armed but without authority to arrest civilians.
The lockdown is expected to take effect as soon as Monday morning, for a period of three weeks until after the Passover holiday.
Another 204 IDF reserves from the Home Front were called up to assist in running the hotels that were converted into Coronavirus convalescents.
The novel Coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 199 countries around the world.
At least 664,000 cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, including at least 31,000 deaths. Some 142,000 have recovered.
