Bnei Brak becomes Israel's worst virus hotspot

The central Israeli city of Bnei Brak has become the country's worst hot spot of coronavirus infections and now resembles a ghost town.

The city has been placed under complete lockdown, said Israeli police spokesman, Micky Rosenfeld.

There are 1,000 police officers making sure there is "no entry and no exit whatsoever", Rosenfeld said.

Exceptions are only made for medical or humanitarian purposes.

Earlier this week, the streets of Bnei Brak were bustling with shoppers as ultra-Orthodox residents, obeying their religious leaders, ignored pleas to stay home in the face of the coronavirus threat.

One expert estimated that nearly 40% of the city's population might already have been infected.

The crisis is rooted in a combination of factors.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox tend to live in poor, crowded neighborhoods where sickness can quickly spread.

Synagogues, the centerpiece of social life, bring men together to pray and socialize in small spaces.

The city has become a lightning rod for anger and frustration by some secular Israelis who allege insular Haredi communities - with disproportionately high numbers of confirmed cases - are undermining national efforts to contain the virus.

Israel has over 7,000 reported cases and 37 deaths from the new coronavirus.

Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, home to large ultra-Orthodox communities, have the largest concentrations.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough.

But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause severe symptoms like pneumonia that can be fatal.

The vast majority of people recover.