Only 50 respirators left in Israel's emergency medical warehouses
A severe shortage of medical equipment was found in the emergency warehouses for hospitals.
By MAARIV ONLINEMDA paramedics evacuate a wounded man after he was stabbed in the Old City.(photo credit: MDA)
Only 50 respirators are left in the Health Ministry's emergency warehouses, Channel 13 reported. Additionally, there has been another report of an argument that broke out between the Health Ministry's CEO Moshe Bar Siman Tov and his deputy, Prof. Itamar Grotto, regarding the number of people who have contracted the coronavirus.According to the report, Grotto said in meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu present, that he estimated the true number of people sick with COVID-19 is actually 50 times the number currently stated, "In my estimation, there are 50,000 people carrying the virus".CEO Siman Tov, who was also present at the meeting, dismissed the estimate of his deputy, and said, "There aren't 50,000 people sick. We may be wrong, but not by such a margin. How do we know this? According to the number of patients currently in hospitals. That's why it's a baseless estimate"Another testament to the many controversies of the heads of the Health Ministry, is that Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman said he disagreed with the position presented by the Ministry itself."I think we're doing better. There's nothing to discuss except what it is we see" Litzman said. "I don't think a full shut down is necessary for anyone who isn't over 70. We need to consider further steps, but not a full shut down, the public has yet to adjust to the previous measures."Litzman announced in a government meeting dealing with the coronavirus that: "No shortage of respirators is expected." These things were said after it was reported that there are only 50 respirators left in the Health Ministry's emergency warehouses.
