Netanyahu: Full Lockdown Possible Within Days If Virus Spread Doesn’t Slow

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Wednesday that a full closure of the country could be introduced within days to curb the coronavirus pandemic, hours after further restrictions on Israelis’ movement were put into effect. “The number of those infected doubles every three days,” he said. At that rate, “in two weeks we’ll have thousands — many of them in life threatening condition.”

“If we don’t see an immediate improvement in the trend, we will have no choice but to declare a full closure,” except for purchases of food and medicine, Netanyahu said in an address from his office in Jerusalem. “It’s a matter of days [away],” he added, saying preparations for such a scenario were already underway.

Citing the climbing death tolls in Italy and Spain, which have dwarfed those in China, and noting that the number of infections in Israel was doubling every three days, the prime minister again implored Israelis to heed the rules and stay indoors. “You must stay home. You stay home, you stay alive,” he said. “If you don’t protect your families,” he said, “there’ll be a disaster here.” -Full Report