Israel said Wednesday that while the rate of coronavirus infection is now at its lowest level in months, the spread of the disease has risen again.
The Ministry of Health said 4,265 people tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday after 91,122 tests, putting the fall rate at 4.7% – the lowest level the figure has been since December.
The ministry also said 717 patients in the hospital are in critical condition, of which 224 are ventilated. The official death toll is now at 5,797 after another 19 patients died from the disease Tuesday.
The basic reproduction number (number R), meanwhile, has risen again and is now a cause for concern 1, according to the Coronavirus National Intelligence and Information Center, an IDF-specific task force.
In the Arab region, the basic breeding population has fallen slightly and is now at 1.12, while in the ultra-vertical community the R number has gone up and is now at 0.86.
The report of the action group says that the rise in the number R appears to be related to the lifting of lock-in restrictions and the spread of the British variable, which has long been a mainstay in Israel. UK snoring is believed to be much more contagious than previous strains and greatly increases the risk of serious illness and hospitalization.
The center also said that 48.5% of those diagnosed Tuesday are under the age of 19. In this age group, the majority of cases suffer from mild symptoms.