Peaks in coronavirus mortality and seriously ill levels

Friday and Saturday, as a strict lockdown went into effect in Israel, the covid pandemic climbed to two disturbing records: more than 60 deaths and 993 in serious condition out of 1,710 hospital patients; 231 were on ventilators. In 80,000 tests, 5,030 were positive, a high 6.3pc. After the British covid mutant was discovered in different parts of the country,  partly accounting for the soaring infection, four cases of the South African variant were identified, both sourced to people who returned from South Africa or were in contact with them.