Video chats and cake: turning 97 in the time of coronavirus

Ester Wienrib rang in her 97th birthday this week with a video call and remote cake-cutting with her great-grandchildren - a cautious celebration as her family tries to avoid exposing her to the coronavirus.

Emer Mccarthy reports.

Turning 97 in the coronavirus crisis: Ester Wienrib rang in her milestone birthday at her assisted living facility in Tel Aviv, with an extra 98th candle for good luck.

With the elderly particularly vulnerable to the illness, Israel has urged its citizens to keep their distance from older relatives.

For Ester, this meant celebrating with her granddaughter and great grandchildren through a smart phone screen.

A Holocaust survivor, Ester is remaining upbeat about the outbreak, calling for positive thinking in the midst of the pandemic.

(SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) 97-YEAR-OLD ESTER WIENRIB, WHO CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY AWAY FROM HER FAMILY DUE TO CORONAVIRUS FEARS, APPEARING ON SMARTPHONE SCREEN, SAYING: "I've been through difficult things, we will go through this as well.

We are strong and we will overcome all hardships.

The things I've been through... thank God I have reached this age, and thank God I am not sick, I am healthy and have my wits about me, I play cards, I have friends (laughing).

We should always live in positive thoughts."