Posted on 07/29/21
| News Source: i24
Positive test rate up to 2.35% as outbreak fueled by delta variant continues into late July
Israel on Thursday recorded 2,165 new daily COVID-19 infections as the total number of active coronavirus patients ticked above the 15,000 mark, according to Health Ministry data.
A total of 159 patients were listed in serious or critical condition as of Thursday morning, with 33 critical and 26 on respirators.
The positive test rate continued to steadily increase, standing at 2.35 percent out of 92,710 coronavirus tests administered on Wednesday.
The outbreak that started in late June after the introduction into the country of the highly transmissible delta variant is continuing into late July, forcing the government to reimpose some restrictions despite more than 5.3 million people in Israel receiving both vaccine doses.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday morning was expected to announce his support for expanding a third vaccine dose to older adults following the recommendation of an expert panel on Wednesday night.
Several hospitals in Israel reopened their coronavirus specialist wards Wednesday, on the back of a sustained increase in the number of patients in serious condition from the virus since mid-June.