Israel's health minister has virus, top officials to isolate
Jerusalem: Israel's health minister, who has had frequent contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials, has the new coronavirus, the Health Ministry announced Thursday.
Yaakov Litzman and his wife, who also has contracted the virus, are in isolation, feel well and are being treated, the statement said. Requests to enter isolation will be sent to those who came in contact with the minister in the past two weeks, the announcement said.
The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency and the National Security Council were asked to go into isolation because of their contacts with Litzman. Netanyahu had gone into isolation previously after a top aide tested positive for the virus, but Netanyahu has so far tested negative.
Israel has gone into near-lockdown to try to contain the virus outbreak.
Israel's large, insular Ultra-Orthodox community, of which Litzman is a member, has been particularly hard hit by infections. In the early phases of the outbreak, some rabbis had pushed back or ignored government-mandated movement restrictions, but resistance appears to have diminished.
Israel has reported just over 6,000 confirmed cases of infection with the new coronavirus, and 26 people have died of COVID-19.
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Man beaten to death by unidentified people for stealing cattle in Jharkhand's Godda
Godda (PTI): A man was beaten to death allegedly for stealing cattle in Jharkhand's Godda district, a police officer said on Thursday.
The 45-year-old man identified as Pappu Ansari was a resident of Ranipur village under Pathargama police station limit of the district, the police officer said.
The incident occurred in Matihani village under Poraiyahat police station limit on Wednesday night. Ansari was beaten to death by unidentified persons over stealing cattle.
Confirming the incident, Deputy Superintendent of Police J P N Chaudhary said the victim had a criminal record and had been to jail in several occasions in the past.
An investigation was underway to ascertain how the incident took place, the persons involved in the crime, the DySP said.
More details would be provided only after the investigation, Chaudary added.
