COVID-19 pandemic in Israel

COVID-19 pandemic in Israel
Magen David Adom worker dressed in protective gear walks beside a mobile intensive care unit
Disease	COVID-19
Virus strain	SARS‑CoV‑2
Location	Israel
First outbreak	Wuhan, Hubei, China
Index case	Ramat Gan
Arrival date	21 February 2020 (4 years, 2 months ago)
Confirmed cases	4,699,229[1]
Active cases	8,101[1]
Severe cases	107[1]
Recovered	4,677,942[1]
Deaths	11,801[1]
Fatality rate	0.25%[2]
Government website
govextra.gov.il/ministry-of-health/corona datadashboard.health.gov.il/COVID-19 oref.org.il/en

The COVID-19 pandemic in Israel (Hebrew: מגפת הקורונה בישראל, lit. 'The corona pandemic in Israel') is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case in Israel was confirmed on 21 February 2020, when a female citizen tested positive for COVID-19 at the Sheba Medical Center after return from quarantine on the Diamond Princess ship in Japan.^[3] As a result, a 14-day home isolation rule was instituted for anyone who had visited South Korea or Japan, and a ban was placed on non-residents and non-citizens who were in South Korea for 14 days before their arrival.^[4]

Beginning on 11 March 2020, Israel began enforcing social distancing and other rules to limit the spread of infection. Gatherings were first restricted to no more than 100 people,^[5] and on 15 March this figure was lowered to 10 people, with attendees advised to keep a distance of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) between one another.^[6] On 19 March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a national state of emergency, saying that existing restrictions would henceforth be legally enforceable, and violators would be fined. Israelis were not allowed to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. Essential services—including food stores, pharmacies, and banks—would remain open. Restrictions on movement were further tightened on 25 March and 1 April, with everyone instructed to cover their noses and mouths outdoors. As coronavirus diagnoses spiked in the city of Bnei Brak, reaching nearly 1,000 infected people at the beginning of April,^[7] the cabinet voted to declare the city a "restricted zone", limiting entry and exit for a period of one week. Coinciding with the Passover Seder on the night of 8 April, lawmakers ordered a 3-day travel ban and mandated that Israelis stay within 100 m (330 ft) of their home on the night of the Seder. On 12 April, Haredi neighborhoods in Jerusalem were placed under closure.

On 20 March 2020, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor in Jerusalem who had previous illnesses was announced as the country's first casualty.^[8][9] The pandemic occurred during the 2019–2022 Israeli political crisis and had a significant political impact.^[10][11][12] All restrictions in Israel were removed throughout the spring of 2021, later reintroducing face mask requirements.^[13] Restrictions on non-citizens entering the country remained until January 2022.

Israel Shield, the country's national program to combat the pandemic, was established in July 2020.^[14] As of June 2021, it is led by Salman Zarka, a position known as the "COVID czar".^[15][16]