Coronavirus cases soar as Israel prepares tighter measures

An open coffin lies on the ground at a special morgue for Covid-19 victims (Oded Balilty/AP)

Israel has reported a new record level of daily cases of coronavirus, shortly before government officials were to meet to discuss tightening a new nationwide lockdown.

The Health Ministry reported 6,861 new cases on Wednesday as a raging outbreak showed no signs of slowing.