Country’s number of active virus carriers stands at 26,542, including 757 hospitalizations; 328 patients in serious condition, at least 95 patients receiving respiratory support from ventilators

Israel saw 1,358 new coronavirus cases in the previous 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced Saturday evening.

The total number of active coronavirus carriers in the country stands at 26,542, including 757 hospitalizations. Among them are 328 patients in serious condition and at least 95 patients receiving respiratory support from ventilators.

ניסוי בדיקת הנשימה למציאת נגיף הקורונה
Lab operator in northern Israel testing coronavirus breathalyzer (Photo: AFP)

 

Six Israelis have passed away since midnight due to complications of COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, bringing the country’s virus-related fatalities to 523.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel, 72,163 cases of coronavirus have been detected so far.

Health authorities conducted 22,890 coronavirus tests on Friday.

Meanwhile, the chief medical officer of U.S. pharmaceutical giant, Prof. Tal Zaks, told Ynet in an interview earlier this week that the Israeli government is working to ensure that its citizens can receive the company’s COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it is ready.

ד"ר טל זאקס, המנהל הרפואי של מודרנה
Moderna Chief Medical Officer Prof. Tal Zaks (Photo: Youtube / Moderna)

 

The American biotechnology company, working together with the National Institutes of Health in the U.S., has recently begun the third and final stage of the clinical trial of the vaccination.

“As a former Israeli I’m glad to know that the Israeli government has indeed seen fit to make sure the vaccination will be available to its population,” Zaks, who started his career at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev, told Ynet this week.

Zaks said he could not share specifics on the countries that have already ordered the vaccine but did confirm that Israel is among them.

Moderna and the National Institutes of Health are starting mass human trials with 30,000 participants – half will receive the vaccination and the other half a placebo.

As reported by Ynetnews