Hospitals on alert for new child infection from British variant

The Health Ministry has alerted hospitals to prepare for large numbers of children coming down with coronavirus and requiring treatment. New evidence shows that children are vulnerable to the fast-spreading British variant, which is held accountable for 80pc of current infection in Israel.

Altogether 3,446 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours and 990 seriously ill with 285 on ventilators. Mortality is up to 5,403.