According to Health Ministry data released on Friday, 3,011 of the 49,867 people who tested for the coronavirus, Thursday, were found to be carrying COVID-19, for an infection rate of 6.2%. There are currently 48,018 active cases of the virus.
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There are 1,331 people being treated in hospitals, 858 of whom are in serious condition. Of those in serious condition, 295 are on ventilators. So far, 5,521 people have died.
Over 4.2 million people have received at least one dose of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, while 2,852,412 people have been administered their second dose.
Breakthrough research coming out of Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan has found that within two weeks of receiving the first dose, Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine is effective in bringing down infection rates by 75%, alongside a dramatic 85% decrease in symptomatic cases among the vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated.
The findings were published in the Lancet peer-reviewed medical journal.
The first-of-its-kind research examined the efficacy of the first dose of the vaccine among 9,109 employees at Sheba Medical Center, 7,214 of whom had been inoculated.
In a comparison of vaccinated and unvaccinated employees, researchers found the first dose was 76% effective at preventing symptomatic illness just three weeks after recipients had gotten the jab, and 94% effective immediately after receiving the second dose.
The field study was the first in the world to examine the efficacy of the first dose in bringing down morbidity and infection. The results of the study, in addition to studies showing the vaccine's effectiveness in Israel, are of important practical significance for many countries now forced to delay the administration of the second dose due to a lack of vaccines.
Dr. Gili Regev-Yohai, director of Sheba Medical Center's Infection Prevention and Control Unit, and one of the figures that led the research team, said, "The vaccine is effective in the real world and not just in clinical trials. That is very encouraging. In addition, from the work we are currently doing, it seems the second dose does another important job, and it is of great significance."
The publication of the research findings follows the release of data by the Maccabi healthcare provider, Wednesday, that points to the vaccine being 95% effective against the virus. To date, the chance of a vaccinated person being infected with the coronavirus is one in 1,000.
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