Israel has recorded its highest daily coronavirus case tally of nearly 11,000 new infections, amid a surge caused by the highly transmissible Delta variant as schools prepare to reopen.
The previous high came on 18 January, with 10,118 cases. Despite today's 10,947 confirmed cases, Israel is pressing ahead with plans to fully open its school system tomorrow as it tries to boost vaccination rates.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a critic of the cycle of lockdowns implemented by his predecessor Benjamin Netanyahu, has maintained that the surge can be controlled through inoculation and protective measures such as masks.
His government has encouraged all residents aged 12 and above to get a third get jab of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine. About 60%