Coronavirus: Netanyahu announces nationwide lockdown until Friday

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening announced tough new restrictions on public movement, prohibiting all travel between cities from Tuesday at 4 p.m. until Friday at 7 a.m.

A complete lockdown and increased enforcement will begin on Passover Eve from Wednesday at 6 p.m. until Thursday at 7 a.m. Citizens will be required to remain in their homes amid fears that going to someone else's house for the Seder or during Passover's intermediate days could lead to the spread of coronavirus.

"When speaking about health and your lives, it is forbidden to take shortcuts," Netanyahu said in a televised address. "On Purim, the virus spread. I'm telling you now clearly, Passover will not be Purim. Every family will do Passover [the Seder] with their immediate family."

The decision comes against the backdrop of a rising death toll, which climbed to 58 on Monday. Confirmed cases of the virus increased to 8,904, including 139 patients in severe condition.

A total of 109 patients currently require a ventilator, an increase of 2.8% over the past 24 hours. Some 670 people have recovered from the illness.

While urging citizens not to be complacent, Netanyahu said a slowdown in the number of confirmed cases showed "positive signs on the horizon."

Should such trends continue, Israel will "gradually emerge" from the lockdown, he said.