An 88-year-old Holocaust survivor suffering from coronavirus reportedly became the first person in Israel to die from the illness.
Arie Even, who immigrated to Israel from Hungary in 1949, contracted the virus while staying in an assisted living facility where several of the residents have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Haaretz.
“He was a beloved and dear man, lived a full life, was dedicated to his family, and showed strength until his very last moments,” his son said in a statement to the newspaper.
“We lament that he had to spend his last moment without his family by his side. We would like to thank the medical staff at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center for their devoted treatment and the empathy they demonstrated.”
Even died after going into cardiac arrest at Shaare Zedek Medical Center on Saturday. He had been transported there in critical condition about a week earlier.
More than 1,200 people have contracted the virus in Israel, with about two dozen listed in critical condition.
The illness has infected 329,000 people worldwide. At least 14,500 people have died.
