Researchers: Barring tighter restrictions, 2,000 new fatalities by November

 Hebrew University researchers released a report on Monday forecasting another 2,000 coronavirus fatalities by November if the current lockdown is maintained. This figure could be halved if tighter restrictions were imposed quickly. The coronavirus cabinet is due to decide on stiffer restrictions, which are being pushed by PM Binyamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, against the opposition of Prof. Ronni Gamzu and Finance Minister Yisrael Katz.
The lockdown which began on Friday afternoon is scheduled to last three weeks at least, depending on the new infection and fatalities graph.
Monday morning, the Health Ministry reported 2,565 new cases, boosting the total to 188,427, of which 51,180 are active, 643 are serious and 170 on ventilators. The number of deaths climbed to 1,256. The ministry appealed to retired physicians to volunteer for work in the non-coronavirus hospital wards. Medical teams find their hands are full with the mounting number of seriously ill covid patients.