New COVID delta sub-strain found in Israel

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The first case of the AY4.2 sub-strain of the COVID-19 delta variant was discovered in Israel, the only case of its kind identified in the country, the Health Ministry reported Tuesday.

An 11-year-old Israeli was diagnosed with AY4.2, a sub-strain of the delta variant, upon his return from Moldova. However, no other cases of infection were identified, the Health Ministry said.

Prof. Ran Balicer, who heads Israel’s COVID-19 expert advisory panel, tweeted that while the AY4.2 accounts for 8 percent of the U.K.’s cases, the strain has not yet been identified in the U.S.

Passers-by adorn masks in Mahane Yehuda market, in Jerusalem, this month.Ohad Zwigenberg

Experience has taught Israel that the infiltration of new variants into the country is most often meaningless.

Even if the variant in question is dangerous or has several mutations, it should not necessarily cause concern. The most important question is whether it is capable of becoming dominant.

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Since the beginning of the pandemic, over a dozen variants, associated with several strains of the virus, have been discovered in Israel, most of which have ended after only a handful of infections.

Meanwhile, Israel reported 1,130 new COVID cases on Wednesday. The number marks a slight decline from yesterday’s number which stood at 1,483.

Moreover, there are currently 352 patients in serious condition, of whom 177 are in critical condition and 156 are on ventilators.

The rate of positive tests also dropped from Monday’s figure of 1.42 percent to 1.28 percent on Monday. To date, 8,023 people in Israel have died of COVID.