Coronavirus Commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash was named as the new director-general of the Health Ministry on Monday in place of Prof. Chezy Levy, who announced he would be stepping down. The appointment comes as Israel faces an increase in coronavirus cases, with some 145 new virus carriers identified on Sunday, and 213 on Monday as of 7 p.m., while the Health Ministry is in conversation with several countries to provide them with Pfizer vaccines which are due to expire soon, as Levy told Channel 12.
“Prof. Ash looks at people as human beings, and his considerations always carry a high level of social sensitivity,” Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said.
“We will confront coronavirus in a professional, level-headed and transparent manner, while also strengthening the public health system, reduce the gaps in health treatment and place people at the center,” he said. “We both believe that the Health Ministry’s mission is to serve as the flagship of equality and human rights in Israel, and we will lead the system in this spirit.”
Ash has served as the country’s coronavirus commissioner since October when he replaced Prof. Ronni Gamzu. He is an internal medicine specialist.
“I congratulate Prof. Ash on his appointment,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said. “Nachman, I am sure that just as you have successfully led the State of Israel and the healthcare system as part of your role as coronavirus commissioner, you will also successfully lead the Health Ministry in normal, as well as in emergency, times and protect the health of Israel’s citizens.”
“I thank Health Minister Horowitz for the trust he has placed in me, and I feel a great privilege to lead Israel’s excellent health system,” Ash said. “The Health Ministry faces a huge challenge in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic alongside strengthening the system in all its areas of responsibility.”
Both Ash and Horowitz thanked Levy for his work. Levy will return to his previous position as director-general of Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon.
Israel is currently facing an increase in coronavirus cases. Over the past 10 days the number of new daily cases has climbed from fewer than 20 to more than 220 a day on week days. On Sunday 145 cases were identified out of some 40,000 tests carried out, compared to over 55,000 on Friday. As of 7 p.m. Monday, another 213 coronavirus carriers were identified out of some 42,000 tests.
On Saturday, there were 114, but with a much lower number of tests compared with the previous weekdays: 32,000 vs 52,000.
On Sunday, 145 cases were identified out of some 40,000 tests that were carried out.
At the moment, the country has some 1,400 active cases, about half of whom are schoolchildren.
Israel currently has some 1.4 million doses of the Pfizer vaccines, but they will expire on July 31. For this reason, the authorities are pushing for people and especially children to get their first shots before July 9, in order to allow them to receive a second shot. In an interview with channel 12, Levy said that Israel is in conversation with several countries for an exchange of vaccines in order to avoid wasting them. A similar agreement was originally stipulated with the Palestinian Authority who later backtracked from it.
The number of hospitalized and serious patients has remained stable. Some 43 patients were hospitalized as of Monday, 21 of whom were in serious conditions. The figures align with those Israel had before the new increase in cases.
The vaccination campaign is also regaining speed. Almost 17,000 shots were administered on Sunday, the highest figure since the beginning of April. Some 9,000 children aged 12-15 received their first dose, about 1,000 more than on Thursday.
The government has restored the directive to wear masks indoors and is stepping up enforcement of quarantine and travel regulations. However, its first coronavirus cabinet meeting on Sunday did not add any further restrictions.
Starting on Tuesday, travelers leaving Israel will be required to sign a form that commits them to not visit countries under the travel ban: Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, Russia and South Africa. In order to do so, Israelis need to obtain authorization from a special governmental committee; otherwise, they will be fined NIS 5,000.“We are approaching the disease with responsibility, transparency, and without creating unnecessary panic,” Horowitz said while addressing his Meretz faction. “With the right management, and personal responsibility from the citizens of Israel – it is possible to protect health and also to maintain freedom of movement, livelihood, privacy and the normal daily life in Israel.”
“We closed the loophole at Ben-Gurion Airport,” Horowitz said. “The previous government banned going to dangerous countries, but no one enforced it. Whoever wanted to, just bought a ticket and flew.”However, according to a report by Channel 12, many problems at the airport persist, including the fact that hundreds if not thousands of travelers are not receiving the results of their PCR test – which everyone is required to undergo upon arrival.