Almost one in three Israelis have recovered from coronavirus since the outbreak of the pandemic, Health Ministry data showed on Thursday, as key metrics continued to decline, suggesting that the Omicron wave is ebbing.

According to the ministry’s figures, 3,002,943 Israelis, out of roughly 9.4 million citizens, recovered from COVID-19. Over 1.65 million got infected with COVID-19 in the first seven weeks since the beginning of the omicron wave in Israel.

Coronavirus figures overall downward trend in Israel continues as the ministry recorded 36,835 new “cases” on Thursday, down from 37,559 the previous day.

In addition, the number of patients in serious condition has been falling for four consecutive days and as of Thursday stands at 1,123. Out of the 1,123, 344 patients are in critical condition and 274 are on ventilators.

The country’s R number – or the number of people each COVID carrier infects – has reached yet another low. The number, which represents the average infection rate from ten days earlier, currently stands at 0.77.

• Any number higher than one, means that the pandemic is spreading in the country; However a number lower than one, essentially means that the pandemic is contracting.

As of Thursday, a total of 9,370 people have died of COVID in Israel. Israel’s Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz lashed out at unvaccinated Israelis earlier this week, saying many of those in serious condition “brought it upon themselves” by not getting a fourth shot of the vaccine or refusing a COVID treatment pill.

“Our hospitals are overcrowded, and a big part of that is people who are not vaccinated or did not take the pill,” Horowitz told Kan Ben public radio on Tuesday, after visiting a COVID ward at one of Jerusalem’s hospitals, where he said “a vast majority” of patients were not fully vaccinated.

6,694,481 have been vaccinated with the first dose, 6,109,763 have gotten the second dose, 4,452,487 received the third and 683,727 have been jabbed with the fourth dose.

Source: HAARETZ