Serious coronavirus cases drop below 1,000

For the first time in months, the number of seriously ill coronavirus cases dropped on Tuesday below one thousand to 993 and positive tests went down to 7.3pc. The Health ministry attributes the improved figures to the millions of vaccinations countering the rampant the British variant and the – albeit patchy = four-week lockdown that started winding down this week. So far, 3,608 million Israelis have taken their first covid vaccination dose and 2,224 their second.

The ministry has set out to combat the slowdown in the public response to the vaccination drive, mainly among young people, with a broad information campaign stressing the benefits of immunization and rare side effects. A war room is operating to fight the false, negative information pumping out through social media.