Israel marks 12,500th COVID death as WHO says no more global emergency

World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Saturday that the “global emergency” created by the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry announced that a total of 12,500 people have died in Israel from the pandemic since the first victim – 88-year-old Holocaust survivor Aryeh Even – died on March 21, 2020.

During the past seven days, four people died of COVID-19 complications and 30 are seriously ill in hospitals. There are now 2,795 Israelis who are actively ill with the coronavirus. Hospital after hospital has closed its coronavirus wards, meaning patients are being treated in ordinary departments.

Nearly five million cases have been recorded in Israel since the start of the pandemic, and many millions of people have received multiple vaccinations that protect them from infection or reduced its severity.

What did Israel say about the WHO ending the COVID state of emergency?

The Israel Public Health Physicians Association said that the WHO “rightly stopped calling the pandemic an international emergency. But the virus will continue to accompany us as a disease that causes morbidity and mortality.”

Countries that invest in health and disease prevention are concerned for both the present and the future, the association continued. “COVID-19 has highlighted the vital need for public health services in both routine and emergency periods. Epidemiological investigative teams, health teams in local authorities, health services in schools and scientific research must be promoted. Israel must make COVID-19 an opportunity, invest in manpower and public health infrastructure. We must not react to the situation by cutting budgets and manpower. In addition, healthy habits and personal hygiene are always good for maintaining health.”