Israel's embattled health minister on Sunday said he would step down following a public uproar over his handling of the coronavirus crisis and his own Covid-19 infection, AP reports.

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would step aside as the country forms a new government. He made no mention of his much-criticised performance at the Health Ministry, which he has led for most of the past decade, and instead said he would take over the Construction Ministry.

In a statement, Litzman said he decided not to return to the Health Ministry for a fourth time, and prefers to lead a sweeping development for solving the housing crisis in Israel in the Housing Ministry.