COVID tests conducted in Israel have confirmed 1,793 new cases, for a total of 23,821 confirmed cases, the Health Ministry reported Wednesday. This meant the positive rate for tests in the same 24-hour period was 1.7%, the lowest in nearly three months.
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As of Wednesday morning, there were 412 COVID patients in serious condition. A total of 215 hospitalized COVID patients were in critical condition, including 178 who were on ventilators.
Among the patients in serious condition, 315 were unvaccinated; 39 had been vaccinated but not received a booster shot, and 59 were fully vaccinated – meaning that over 76% of serious cases developed in unvaccinated individuals, compared to 14.3% in vaccinated patients.
The virus reproduction rate was up slightly and as of Wednesday morning reached 0.74. Two additional fatalities on Wednesday pushed Israel closer to 8,000 COVID deaths, with 7,959 Israelis having succumbed to the virus since the pandemic hit Israel in early 2020.
A total of 86,195 teachers and students were in quarantine. This number included 12,636 students and 570 teachers who tested positive for COVID.
In a related development, the Health Ministry canceled on Wednesday a regulation that required even vaccinated Israelis or those who have recovered from COVID who are caring for minor COVID patients or other dependents to quarantine along with the patient.
The ministry reminded the public that according to updated criteria, "vaccinated" refers to people who have either received three vaccine doses or who have received two doses of the COVID vaccine and less than six months has passed since their second dose. A "recovered" COVID patient is defined as someone who has been clear of COVID for at least six months or who has recovered and received at least one vaccine dose.
Meanwhile, the committee that advises the government on vaccine policy decided not to broadcast its discussions on live TV. The committee also discussed a proposal to set up exemption committees in Israel's healthcare organizations to handle specific cases of exemptions from the vaccine recommendations.
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