Israel saw a sharp drop in coronavirus-related deaths in the second half of February, health officials said on Monday.
The Ministry of Health said 2,393 people had died from the coronavirus in early 2021, with 1,459 succumbing to the disease in January and a slight decline to 934 in February. These figures represent an average of 40 deaths per day.
In the first half of January, there were an average of 53 deaths caused by COVID-19 per day, and the success of the vaccination that began in December is credited with reducing the number of deaths.
In fact, in the second half of February, the daily mortality rate dropped to 25 people per day due to the virus.
These numbers are still considered to be high compared to the last month of 2020, when 488 people died from the virus. On average, 16 deaths a day.
In November, 313 people died from COVID, indicating an average of 10 deaths per day, while in October 2020 it had 957 deaths, an average daily of 32 deaths due to complications from the virus.
According to the Ministry of Health, there was a reduction not only in the number of deaths in February, but also in the number of severe cases of COVID-19 treated in hospitals.
The ministry said that 742 people are currently in serious condition – the lowest number being as of January 2, 2021, representing a 43% reduction. Vaccines are again credited for reducing severe coronavirus disease.
But as people over the age of 60 become largely immune from vaccinations, the average age of seriously ill patients has declined. As of Monday, 57.1% of severely ill patients with COVID-19 appear to be over 60, while 40% are between 30 and 59 years old.
One in five patients, 20.2%, is between 50 and 59 years old, 10.7% are 40 years old, 7.4% are 30 years old.
There are now 17 adults in serious condition at the age of 20 and 15 teenagers and children still hospitalized with symptoms.
The Ministry of Health also reported on Monday that the factor indicating the spread of the community (R) increased to 1, up from 0.79 just two weeks ago, raising concerns that the rate of infection is rising once again.
Meanwhile, in the Arab sector, the R is even higher at 1.16, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to convene a special meeting to discuss a low presence of vaccination in Arab communities. The ultra-Orthodox community currently shows an R factor of 0.82.
Israel began lifting blockade restrictions earlier this month, with malls and malls reopening last week. Purim’s impromptu mass parties also took place over the weekend, despite the nighttime imposed for the three days of celebration. This change in public behavior is seen by medical officials as a catalyst for a larger infection.
Among those who are infected at a faster rate are younger populations, some of whom have no symptoms.
Of all the new Sunday infections, 76.7% are under the age of 39 and only 5.2% are over the age of 60. A closer examination of the data shows that 43.4% of new infections detected on Sunday were in the 0-19 age group.
Netanyahu posted on his Twitter feed on Monday that 97% of recent deaths occurred in patients who had not received two doses of coronavirus vaccine.
“I can’t stand the delegitimization of vaccines from cynical politicians. I have zero tolerance for false news, while fighting to save lives,” Netanyahu said in his post, urging Israelis to get vaccinated.
There is a politician who spoke out against vaccines.
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MK Yifat Shasha-Biton, a political opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who criticized the way the pandemic is managed
(Photo: Kobi Quankas)
In an interview with Radio Kan on Monday, Netanyahu was asked about Israel approaching 6,000 dead since the beginning of the pandemic. He responded with a contemptuous comment to one of his political opponents, former parliamentarian Likud Yifat Shasha-Biton, who led a Knesset oversight committee that blocked some of Netanyahu’s policies and criticized the way he handled the pandemic.
“Ask Yifat Shasha-Biton,” Netanyahu said, mocking her name.
Yoaz Hendel, a former aide to Netanyahu and now with Shasha-Biton, a member of Gideon Saar’s New Hope party, said in response that it was sad to hear the prime minister joking about so many Israeli deaths.