Doctors at Israel's largest hospital report a surgein critical coronavirus cases in recent weeks despite a month-long lockdown and an exceptionally fast vaccination programme.
In an underground Covid-19 ward at Sheba Medical Centre, near Tel Aviv, the head of intensive care noticed alarming changes among her patients.
“The patients are younger and the disease is more violent,” Dr Yael Haviv-Yadid said.
"When you come to a family with lots of kids and say that the father is not going to come back home … nothing makes you ready for that
“I think that this wave is very difficult for us, because we thought it would be easier and it’s not.”
About 120 people with Covid-19 are being treated at Sheba in specialist wards, including one for children and another for psychiatric patients.
In the coronavirus intensive care unit, medics are concealed behind masks and face shields with name tags on their white protective suits.
Others sit behind a screen in an observation room, surrounded by the sound of beeping from computers monitoring the patients.
Only a dozen patients are in the underground ward; spare beds lie empty because there are not enough staff to handle the specialist equipment required.
On Sunday, three coronavirus patients died at Sheba, adding to a nationwide toll of more than 4,800 in a population of nine million. About 30 per cent of Israel's Covid-19 deaths happened within the past month.
In the same period, a third of the population received their first coronavirus vaccine. The country has been under lockdown since late December, with the vast majority of schools shut and residents required to stay at home but for a few exceptions.
While rule-breaking may play a part in the high infection rate, with 9.3 per cent out of 88,503 of the latest tests in one day returning positive, Dr Haviv-Yadid noted that new and more transmissible coronavirus variants are a key factor.
“Last time, when we saw 10 friends come together and one was sick, maybe one and another one would become sick as well,” she said.
Today, almost all would contract coronavirus, she said.
While some virus variants may be more infectious, Dr Howard Amital, head of Sheba’s research centre for autoimmune diseases, said there is no clear evidence that they alone cause more severe cases.
“I think we have more critically ill people in hospital because we have a higher number of infected subjects in the country,” said Dr Amital, who also leads one of the hospital’s internal medicine departments.
But Dr Michael Halberthal at Rambam Health Care Campus, a hospital in Haifa serving northern Israel, disagrees. He said doctors in Rambam have seen the proportion of serious or critical coronavirus patients treble.
“Twenty per cent of the patients were considered serious or critical patients; now about 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the hospital has patients in serious or critical condition,” said Dr Michael Halberthal, the hospital’s general director.
“What changed is the rate of infection – it increased dramatically – and the second thing is the acuteness of the patients. The patients are much sicker.”
The pandemic is having a dire impact on the mental health of medical staff, Dr Halberthal said, with 11 physicians who treated Covid-19 patients at his hospital now undergoing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.
“When we have terrorist attacks and wars, there is lots of heroism. There’s no heroism in dealing with Covid-19,” he said.
“You work very hard and lots of people die in really tough circumstances.”
Doctors and nurses are under similar strain at Sheba, where they take breaks from the intensive care unit in a converted car park fitted with chairs and games.
"I think that the most difficult thing now is the young who die," Dr Haviv-Yadid said.
“When you come to a family with lots of kids and say that the father is not going to come back home … nothing makes you ready for that.”
Dr Amital described high levels of fear and anxiety among patients and their families, whose visits are restricted because of the health risks.
“Being a corona patient is facing, on the one hand, some kind of severe illness, while you’re quite isolated,” he said.
“All those who try to ignore the existence of the virus need to face it, because being sick is not a picnic,” Dr Amital said.
Doctors at Sheba and Rambam noticed a slight decrease in coronavirus patients being admitted in recent days, although Dr Halberthal said he urgently needed more staff at his hospital in Haifa.
Some Israeli hospitals have hit capacity, according to official data, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday described the health system as “stretched to the maximum”.
While the government struggles to curb infections, it has grounded international flights until February 8 and extended the nationwide lockdown until Friday.
Dr Haviv-Yadid saw the shutdown as having little effect, predicting “nothing will change” unless authorities invest more in educating the public about the consequences of their actions during the pandemic.
“They don’t understand what it means. That someone dies for a stupid reason, because he didn’t wear a mask,” she said.
Dr Haviv-Yadid urged Israelis not to take unnecessary risks, with just weeks to go until the vast majority of adults are set to be vaccinated against coronavirus.
“They survived this horrible year, and now they die one second before vaccination.”
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
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Results
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions Dh90,000 2,200m
Winner: Mudaarab, Jim Crowley (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Hassan Al Hammadi.
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Salima Al Reef, Jesus Rosales, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Bainoona, Ricardo Iacopini, Eric Lemartinel.
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: Assyad, Victoria Larsen, Eric Lemartinel.
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1 Dh5,000,000 1,600m
Winner: Mashhur Al Khalediah, Jean-Bernard Eyquem, Phillip Collington.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
Saturday 15 January: v Canada
Thursday 20 January: v England
Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly, Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya Shetty, Kai Smith
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs: 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross
Price, base / as tested: Dh101,140 / Dh113,800
Engine: Turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 148hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm @ 2,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed CVT
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
