(Israel Hayom via JNS) The rise in coronavirus cases in Israel is becoming dramatic and cause for concern, Israeli Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said this week.

“At this rate, we are heading toward 200 new cases per day. Just so we’re clear, the situation is not good. If we don’t wake up, we’ll find ourselves in a very problematic situation. Ignoring the [Health Ministry] instructions and brushing them off is causing a change in the [downward] trend of cases,” said Edelstein.

Given the rise in confirmed cases, enforcement of Health Ministry guidelines will be stepped up. However, Edelstein said he did not support reverting to earlier measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which he said would “hurt the economy and the lives of citizens.”