Israel breaks record for daily virus cases for second time this month

The number of new coronavirus infections in Israel has reached a new record high, according to Health Ministry figures on Tuesday that showed the previous day's caseload at 3,425.

That is the highest one-day figure in the country since the outbreak of the pandemic. The previous record was from September 2, with 3,173 new coronavirus cases.

Political wrangling is getting in the way of an effective fight against the coronavirus in Israel.

Instead of the originally planned lockdowns in 40 towns with particularly high numbers of infections, nightly curfews are to be imposed between 7 pm and 5 am from Tuesday evening.

According to Israeli media reports, the restrictions were watered down after the mayors of four strictly religious towns sent an angry letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, allegedly threatening to withdraw their support.

The strictly religious parties in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, are considered close allies of Netanyahu and often tip the scales in elections.

Residents in many of the places deemed "red" zones are primarily ultra-Orthodox Jews or Israeli Arabs. It's not uncommon for large families to live in small apartments in these areas, making it particularly difficult to maintain distancing or isolate oneself.

Israel initially fared well in the pandemic thanks to a strict lockdown in March. However, the government lifted many restrictions in May, leading to a leap in case numbers.

Overall, 135,288 Covid-19 cases have been confirmed since the pandemic reached Israel, and 1,031 people have died of Covid-19.