"Higher asymptomatic carriage rate is likely a major factor in the rapid and widespread dissemination of the variant, even among populations with high prior rates of coronavirus infection," the researchers said in a statement.
The lockdown of Anyang, home to 5.5 million people, is announced after two cases of the Omicron variant are reported.
Health Ministry reports over 185,000 active cases, with 1,445 COVID patients in hospitals, including 59 on ventilators and 13 on ECMO machines.
"I've contracted COVID-19. I feel fine because I'm vaccinated. Go get vaccinated, put on a mask, we'll get through this together," the prime minister-designate tweets.
COVID response coordinator Professor Salman Zarka warns that "minor" restrictions won't curb spread of virus. Meanwhile, Comptroller Matan Engelman says he will look into testing in the 4th and 5th waves.
Over 21,000 new cases identified in 24 hours. Over 600 COVID patients hospitalized, including 222 in serious condition and 71 in critical condition.
A Channel 12 News survey finds that only 35% of the public believes the government's COVID-19 testing policies are good, while 60% defined it as a failure.
Health Ministry Sunday morning reports 17,521 new COVID-19 diagnoses over the past 24 hours following some 151,000 tests, marking a positive test rate of 11.71%. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vows to provide free rapid antigen tests for children. Meanwhile, a professor in Cyprus claims to have discovered a "Deltacron" strain, which combines the Omicron and Delta variants.
A survey by a popular Tel Aviv radio station finds that an increasing number of Israelis favor banning those who refuse to get vaccinated against the coronavirus from certain aspects of public life.
Prof. Ran Balicer, the chairman of the Health Ministry's pandemic response team, tells Israel Hayom that while "Omicron behaves fundamentally differently than previous strains," it appears to be less violent than the Delta variant.
