Virus death rate in 'second wave' less than half that of initial outbreak

Though Israel has seen a much greater number of coronavirus infections in the “second wave” of the pandemic, the percentage of those killed by COVID-19 is markedly lower.

While the death rate was 2.1 percent during the intitial outbreak, it is now 0.8%, Ran Balicer, an epidemiologist and executive at Clalit Health Services, tells Channel 12 news.

Balicer says possible explanations for this are that authorities are now detecting a larger number of asymptomatic carriers and are doing a better job of protecting at-risk groups. Hospitals have also improved their ability to treat those sick with the virus.