Even with over 60% vaccination, Delta variant overwhelms... Israel reports over 3,000 new cases

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Koo Chae-eun] In Israel, where the fourth wave of COVID-19 centered on the Delta variant has become a reality, the number of new daily confirmed cases has surpassed 3,000.

The Israeli Ministry of Health announced that 3,818 new confirmed cases were reported on the 2nd, the previous day. This is more than 1,700 cases higher than the 2,114 confirmed cases on the 1st, marking the highest number since March when the third wave was rapidly subsiding. The positive rate among all tests was 3.78%, approaching 4%. The number of severe patients is 221.

Israel, which imported the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 19 last year and conducted the fastest nationwide vaccination campaign in the world, lifted all quarantine measures in mid-June as infection indicators stabilized, with confirmed cases dropping to single digits.

However, as the spread of infection re-emerged centered on the Delta variant, Israel reinstated the indoor mask mandate and the "Green Pass" system, a vaccination certificate to restrict unvaccinated individuals from entering public places. According to The Jerusalem Post, about 100,000 people have so far received the third booster shot targeting seniors in their 60s, the first such campaign worldwide.

Prime Minister Bennett stated that the goal is to administer the third dose to 1.5 million elderly people by next week. In Israel, 62% of the total population has received the first dose, and 58% have received the second dose.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.