The National Security Institute recommends recruiting thousands of illegal migrants to work in nursing homes that suffer from manpower shortages, Reshet Bet radio reported Tuesday morning. The recommendation is included in an internal document published by the Institute as part of the efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus and its high presence in nursing homes.
The Health Ministry announced on Tuesday that the death toll from coronavirus in Israel reached 117. The number of Israelis infected with the virus is 11,868 – an increase of 262. 181 are in serious condition and 136 are on artificial ventilation.
23 coronavirus patients were diagnosed at the Ateret Avot nursing home in Bnei Brak this week, and 23 in the Sharon nursing home in Ra’anana. Haaretz reported this week that about one-third of the dead as a result of a coronavirus infection are nursing home residents.
Chairman of the Nursing Home Association, Ronnie Ozeri, tols Kan 11 News that there are still nursing homes in Israel where the coronavirus has been discovered, but contrary to the Health Ministry’s statements, so far not all the tenants and staff have been tested.
“The Health Ministry continues to spread spins, completely ignoring the fact that whole institutions could collapse due to insane costs incurred in dealing with the virus,” Ozeri said. He said “the Health Ministry people think it’s enough to make headlines in the media without budgeting the costs of the nursing homes, and without comprehending the economic implications of the emergency for nursing homes.”
He accused the Health Ministry of attempting to eliminate the nursing home industry, regardless of the tens of thousands of seniors and their families who depend on it.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has decided to change its policy and conduct comprehensive coronavirus tests at facilities for the disabled where coronavirus patients have been found. The decision followed the outbreak of the coronavirus at the Eli-Moriah residence for disabled people in Gedera, where a resident died and 7 residents and 3 staff members were infected.
According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, there are now 582,594 infected patients in the United States, with 23,649 deaths. 2,964,726 individuals have been tested in the US. There have been 7,349 deaths in New York City, 910 in Nassau County, 568 in Suffolk, and 557 deaths in Westchester county.