JERUSALEM

The death toll in Israel from the novel coronavirus rose to 225 after two patients died in the past 24 hours, health officials said Friday.

A total of 155 new cases were reported, bringing the tally to 16,101.

At least 8,758 people have recovered from the virus.

The government decided to ease restrictions to stem the spread of the virus that allows education institutions to gradually reopen Sunday.

Since first appearing in Wuhan, China last December, COVID-19 has spread to at least 187 countries and regions, with the US and Europe the hardest-hit areas.

More than 3.3 million cases have been reported worldwide, with the death toll nearing 238,000 and more than 1 million recoveries, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US. 

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin