The Israeli health ministry reimposed a requirement on Friday for masks to be worn in enclosed public places, following a surge in Covid-19 cases since the rule was dropped 10 days ago.
However, thousands partied in the streets of Tel Aviv on Friday at the city’s first Pride event since the pandemic, with many ignoring government pleas to wear masks.
The head of Israel’s pandemic response task force, Nachman Ash, told public radio that the requirement for wearing masks indoors came after four straight days of more than 100 new infections per day, with 227 cases confirmed on Thursday.
Ash said the rise in Covid-19 cases was likely due to the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India. Reimposing the mask requirement is a setback for Israel, days after it was lifted on June 15.
In Indonesia, over a dozen fully vaccinated doctors have died from Covid-19, a medical association said on Friday, as the country battles a rash of severe cases in inoculated medical workers.
In the UK, the number of Delta variant cases has risen by over 35,200 since last week to a total of around 111,100, representing a 46% increase, health officials said on Friday.
In Australia, around a million people in Sydney neighbourhoods were ordered to stay home for at least a week. New South Wales officials called it the “scariest period” since the pandemic began.
Brazil president denies Bharat Biotech link
President Jair Bolsonaro has said Brazil didn’t pay for or receive any doses of a vaccine developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech, in response to allegations of irregularities in a deal that is being probed.
