UPDATE 4 - Coronavirus deaths rise to 36 in Israel

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, NUMBER OF CASES, HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Abdelraouf Arnaout and Esat Firat

JERUSALEM (AA) - The novel coronavirus has killed 36 people in Israel, with 6,857 cases registered so far, health officials said on Thursday.

The Health Ministry said 10 more deaths were confirmed since early Thursday.

The ministry added that 640 more people tested positive for the coronavirus, noting that out of the total 108 are in critical condition.

A total of 338 people have recovered so far, it said.

In Israel, all schools have been closed and all public meetings in open or closed areas with more than 10 people have been banned.

All trading firms except supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and banks have also been closed since March 15.

Tel Aviv banned the entry of foreign citizens, except those who have residency in Israel.

After surfacing in Wuhan, China last December, coronavirus has spread to 181 countries and regions.

The global death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 51,400, with more than 1 million cases confirmed worldwide, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. Over 208,900 have recovered from infections so far.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat and Zehra Nur Duz