Tel Aviv, Jan 28 (IANS): The total amount of unpaid coronavirus fine tickets issued in Israel have reached about 297 million new shekels ($91 million), including interests for non-payment on time, the state's Law Enforcement and Collection System Authority said.

According to the data issued on Wednesday, the total fines amount for violating coronavirus restrictions in Israel reached 318 million shekels, of which only 76.5 million shekels have been paid so far, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since the onset of the pandemic in the country in February 2020, more than 540,000 fine tickets have been issued, of which only about 151,000 have been paid.

Of all Covid-19 tickets, about 22 pe rcent have been issued since the beginning of this month, during the ongoing full lockdown imposed in Israel on December 27, 2020.

The authority noted that the fine recipient is given up to 90 days to pay, and therefore fines issued from last November to January did not yet reach the deadline.

Its data also show that the most common violation was not wearing a face mask in public, followed by going out into the public space, running a business, violating quarantine, gatherings, and praying contrary to regulations.