[ad_1]
More than 6,400 people in Israel tested positive for COVID on Sunday, with a positivity rate of 6.31% – the highest since February.
Out of 102,291 tests carried out on Sunday in the general population, 6,467 came back positive. The fourth wave positivity rate has been increasing steadily since the end of May, when it was less than 1%. In early August, the rate was below 3%.
However, the R-number, the virus’s base reproduction number, has been declining since early August and stood at 1.14 on Monday, down from 1.36 on August 1. An R rate of 1 indicates that each infected person will infect another person. on average, while a rate above 1 means the virus will spread faster.
As of Monday morning, there were 67,801 active cases of COVID in Israel, with 1,142 hospitalized, 670 in serious condition and 108 on a ventilator. Sixteen people with COVID died on Sunday and nearly 150 people have died in the past week.
Despite the growing number of cases, the government largely withheld the drastic restrictions. Instead, he’s relying on a campaign of booster doses to stem the rising tide of infections and severe cases. The third doses of the COVID vaccine became available for people over 60 on August 1 and have since been rolled out to all people over 40 as well as healthcare workers, teachers and pregnant women. As of Monday morning, nearly 1.5 million Israelis had received a third dose of the vaccine.
Health officials said early data shows booster doses are already helping to reduce the rate of severe cases. The first data from the Ministry of Health released by Channel 12 news Sunday night appeared to show that those who have received a third dose of the vaccine are highly protected against the disease. According to the data, only 0.2% of the 1.1 million Israelis who received their booster dose were diagnosed with COVID-19 at least seven days after the shooting.
In absolute terms, the number of virus carriers who received their third dose is 2,790. Of these, only 187 (0.01%) were hospitalized and 88 (0.08%) developed severe symptoms. Fewer than 15 of them died, with the report failing to provide an exact number. The data was not made public by the ministry and could not be independently verified.
A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine at a Magen David Adom mobile center in Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv on August 14, 2021. (Miriam Alster / Flash90)
As of Monday morning, 76% of people aged 70-79 received a third dose, as did 60% of 60-69 year-olds, 37% of 50-59 year-olds and 12% of 40-49 year-olds – who only became eligible that for the Friday coup.
Dr Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of the Department of Health’s public health services, told Channel 12 that she was cautiously optimistic about the effects of the booster doses.
“There is cautious optimism and we are seeing a reduction in serious morbidity,” said Alroy-Preis, while expressing hope that the boosters would soon be available to the general population.
[ad_2]
Source link