PM: We Are Currently On Verge Of Emergency w/ New COVID Variant

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett states that the country is 'on the verge of an emergency' after it was confirmed that a case of the new 'Nu' COVID-19 variant from southern Africa had been confirmed in Israel.

• PM's office tweets Bennett's comments: "The new variant is highly contagious, at a much faster rate than the Delta. We are currently feeding on South Africa's health system [...] but we don't have the full information yet. In the coming days our knowledge will expand very rapidly - we will know whether [the new variant] is really an immune hacker [...]. During the night, I was informed that a confirmed patient had been found here in Israel, which is disturbing. Our [main] principle right now is to act fast, strong and now. Especially when it comes to the entrances to and from Israel, until the situation becomes clearer. [...] We are currently on the verge of an emergency, I ask everyone to prepare and fully contribute to work around the clock."
• Israeli has banned flights from six southern African nations, including South Africa, in the wake of the new variant discovery.