Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the need to introduce full quarantine in the country due to the surge in hospitalizations due to the new COVID-19 coronavirus strain spreading in the country, Interfax reported.

He noted that Israel needs to impose strict and immediate quarantine and continue the vaccination operation.

The quarantine will begin on Thursday and will last for two weeks.

According to Johns Hopkins University, since the beginning of the pandemic, 448,173 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the country, and 3,445 people have died.