The World Health Organization (WHO), in response to suggestions that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could serve as the basis for an “immunity passport” or “risk-free certificate” that would enable individuals to travel freely, announced on Friday that “there is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.”
The announcement comes against the background of 2,884,649 cases recorded worldwide and 200,824 deaths as of Saturday morning. There have been 823,461 recoveries worldwide, which, according to WHO, does not mean that the danger of a new infection is over for these individuals.
The United States saw 755 deaths this Saturday, bringing the country’s total since last February to 52,948 deaths. The number of cases in the US is currently 944,805, and it is expected to cross the one million mark early this week. The US has seen 110,715 recoveries – at least temporarily.
New York State continues to be the most hard hit, with 437 new deaths, bringing the state’s total to 21,728 as of Saturday. New Jersey had 246 deaths from the coronavirus this Saturday, bringing the state’s total to 5,863. 77 patients died in Maryland this Saturday, with the state’s total number of deaths from the coronavirus rising to 875.
New York City’s number of coronavirus-related deaths has risen this Saturday to 16,646. Nassau county has had 1,518 deaths.
In Israel there were 90 new cases of the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, while the number of recoveries was 156. This extends the trend of more recoveries than new cases to 8 days. There are 15,148 cases in Israel as of Saturday, out of whom 130 are considered critical, including 102 who are on artificial ventilators.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman on Friday told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his decision to leave his office is final. Litzman told the PM he wants to run the Housing Ministry instead. He reportedly reached his decision after a discussion with his spiritual leader, the Gerer Rebbe. In addition to the housing portfolio, Litzman also wants to run the Israel Lands Authority and the Housing Authority.
