With COVID cases surging, Israel has reimposed a mask mandate in indoor public spaces just 10 days after it was lifted. The country—which had the world's fastest vaccination program and lifted all other restrictions earlier this year—recorded two consecutive days with zero new cases earlier this month, but it has now recorded more than 100 new cases for four days in a row, with 227 reported Thursday, the Guardian reports. "We are seeing a doubling every few days," said Nachman Ash, the head of Israel's pandemic response task force, per the BBC. "Another thing that's worrying is that the infections are spreading."
Ash said the highly contagious Delta variant had been brought to the country by travelers from overseas. Ash urged Israelis to obey quarantine requirement and warned against traveling abroad, especially with unvaccinated children. "I call on the public to consider whether traveling abroad is essential," he said, per the Times of Israel. "It is highly advisable to avoid nonessential travel abroad." The country has also postponed reopening to vaccinated tourists for a month. (More Israel stories.)
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