Israel said on Sunday evening that 3,887 people have tested positive for COVID-19 the previous day, indicating a drop in the infection rate.
The Health Ministry said that after 73,000 tests have been conducted, the positivity rate now stands at 5.46%, down from 6% reported the previous day.
There are currently 677 patients in serious condition, of whom 157 are ventilated. After 11 more patients succumbed to the virus on Sunday, the death toll since the start of the pandemic now stands at 7,205.
Among 127 who died from COVID since the beginning of September - 65 were unvaccinated, 42 received the first two doses of the vaccine but not the booster shot and 15 received all three jabs.
Some 39,600 Israelis received the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Sunday and 2.6 million were given the shot since its rollout late in July.
3 View gallery
A man is administered the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine last week in Tel Aviv
(Photo: Reuters)
Officials in the Health Ministry expressed optimism that morbidity will decrease due to the administration of the booster shot to tens of thousands of Israelis each day and a noted increase in formerly unvaccinated people, now receiving their vaccines.
Long lines were reported across testing sites around the country where many chose to test for coronavirus before joining family and friends for the holiday meal on the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) on Monday.
3 View gallery
People line up to get tested for coronavirus ahead of holiday meal on eve of Jewish New Year
(Photo: Yariv Katz)
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged Israelis to conduct rapid tests to protect their family members, but since those tests are less reliable, many chose to submit to a PCR test instead.
N12 news on Sunday quoted medical staff who said they were testing double the amount of people than on previous days.