Israeli army hit hard by coronavirus
The second wave of the novel coronavirus is affecting the IDF, which has ordered 10,000 soldiers into quarantine.
Israel registered a record number of 1,231 new coronavirus cases on a single day, with 350 of them reported in the IDF July 9. The number that was twice that reported on the highest day during the first wave of the pandemic in March and April, prompting the army to place 10,000 soldiers under quarantine. As of July 9, the IDF has seen 562 of its soldiers and citizen staff members contract the coronavirus. The majority of the carriers are in stable condition and 246 have already recovered.
The army said that most of the quarantined soldiers continue to carry out their duties under strict medical supervision and in secure locations, but the numbers are still so alarming that the IDF chiefs decided to call up 2,000 reserve soldiers by the end of July. So far, only 750 reserve soldiers have been called up to assist the army in its battle against the novel coronavirus. In the special emergency meeting where the recruitment decision was made, Defense Minister Benny Gantz presented a plan to open more dedicated quarantine hotels next week.
