Israel's coronavirus infection rate stands at 0.4%, according to Health Ministry data released Friday, as just 129 of the 35,027 people who tested for the virus were found to be carrying COVID-19 the previous day.
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For the first time since June 2020, no deaths were recorded from the virus, Thursday.
There are 1,897 active cases of the virus, 160 of which are serious. Of those in serious condition, 97 are on ventilators. While 829,627 people have recovered from the virus, 6,346 have died.
As for Israel's vaccination campaign, 5,005,418 Israelis have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
On Thursday, the Health Ministry issued a warning against "unnecessary travel overseas" and in particular to Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Turkey.
The ministry clarified the warning was directed at both unvaccinated and vaccinated Israelis.
"In light of the high morbidity rates around the world and the presence of worrying variants, the Health Ministry recommends the general population not cross Israel's borders at this time."
The Health Ministry noted both the UK government and the US Centers for Disease Control had issued similar travel advisories.
"Both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated could contract the virus, thereby putting not just themselves and those around them but the entire country at risk.
"The Health Ministry reiterates and emphasizes the importance of quarantine for those returning from overseas, in particular from countries where there is severe coronavirus morbidity," according to the statement.
The ministry's warning comes as the Indian variant, about which not much is known, has spread at an alarming rate in that country. So far, seven Israelis have been found to have contracted the mutation.
At a press conference, Thursday, Health Ministry Director-General Hezi Levy said, "The British variant is responsible for 95% of morbidity in Israel. As for the South African variant, there are concerns as to the efficacy of the vaccine against it. There is an insignificant number of patients with the Brazilian and New York variants.
"We still do not know the vaccine's influence on it and its resistance, and we feel uncomfortable with it. We're studying it," he said.
"The situation in the world is such that we unequivocally recommend against traveling overseas unless necessary. Nevertheless, the Health Ministry is declaring seven countries with very high morbidity where there is a chance of contracting mutations and variants," he said.
According to Levy, the Health Ministry was set to implement digital monitoring of those required to quarantine after returning from overseas.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry on Thursday announced Israel and Bahrain had agreed to recognize each other's vaccination programs, allowing the vaccinated to travel between the countries unrestricted through the use of scannable QR code. While the ministry did not say when the agreement was set to go into effect, it noted similar deals would be forged with additional countries in the near future.
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