JERUSALEM

Israel reported a surge in coronavirus infections on Monday, with 21,501 cases recorded in the past 24 hours, according to the country’s health ministry.

A ministry statement said that the total number of serious cases reached 222 and 8,269 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported that coronavirus infections in the army reached 5,187 soldiers as of Monday.

Israeli authorities have already banned the entry of foreigners into the country over fears of the spread of the COVID omicron variant.

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar