Number of serious COVID cases passes 1,000, though Omicron wave appears to be ebbing

The son of a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 prays next to his father's hospital bed, in the coronavirus ward at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, on January 20, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
The son of a patient diagnosed with COVID-19 prays next to his father's hospital bed, in the coronavirus ward at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, on January 20, 2022. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

New Health Ministry data show serious coronavirus cases jumping by nearly 70 to 1,010, the first time since last February that over 1,000 people have been hospitalized in serious condition with COVID-19.

Speaking with Channel 12 news, Prof. Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute — a top government adviser on the pandemic — predicts serious cases may reach 1,150 before they begin to fall.

Despite the continued rise in serious cases, other statistics indicate the current Omicron-fueled wave of morbidity may be ebbing, with the R-number further declining to 1.01. The figure represents the number of people each COVID patient infects, with any reading below one meaning the spread of the virus is slowing.

The ministry reports 53,020 new coronavirus cases were confirmed yesterday and that another 22,550 people have tested positive since midnight. There are 444,886 active infections in the country.

The death toll stands at 8,657, with 58 fatalities recorded since yesterday afternoon.

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