JERUSALEM 

Israel on Thursday confirmed a record 2,032 more infections of the novel coronavirus.

According to the Health Ministry, total cases in the country number at 56,748, including 433 deaths, since the virus was first detected on Feb. 21.

A total of 23,560 people have so far recovered and been discharged from hospitals, while 295 remain in critical condition, the ministry said.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein warned that the government might impose a lockdown if the country sees a surge of 2,000 cases a day.

Israel lifted most of the COVID-19 measures after the daily number of virus cases dropped below 20 last month, reopening schools, universities, shopping malls and restaurants.

Since first appearing in China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions. The US, Brazil, India, and Russia are currently the countries hardest hit in the world.

The pandemic has killed over 623,000 people worldwide, with more than 15.2 million confirmed cases, according to figures compiled by US-based Johns Hopkins University.

The number of recoveries from the pandemic across the globe has topped 8.6 million.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz