COVID-19 ward at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital
COVID-19 ward at Hadassah Ein Kerem HospitalYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

A total of 8,078 new cases of the coronavirus were diagnosed across Israel Thursday, according to data released by the Health Ministry Friday morning, down from 9,055 new cases reported Wednesday, and down from the recent high of 10,041 recorded on Tuesday.

Nevertheless, the percentage of tests coming back positive rose from 6.57% Wednesday to 6.71% Thursday.

There are now 78,342 known active cases of the virus across Israel.

There are now 1,086 hospitalized COVID patients, including 689 in serious condition, of whom 191 are listed in critical condition, with 149 on respirators.

The number of seriously ill patients fell from 697 on Wednesday and 696 on Thursday.

Thus far, a total of 6,943 coronavirus-related fatalities have been recorded across Israel, including 19 deaths on Thursday.

According to the most recent demographic data released by the Ministry of Health on COVID victims, the 321 patients who succumbed to the virus from August 1st through the 25th were all above the age of 30, with the vast majority over the age of 70.

A total of 90 (21.8%) were over 90, 191 (46.4%) were in their 80s, with 86 (20.9%) in their 70s, and 35 (8.5%) in their 60s, 8 (1.9%) in their 50s, one (0.2%) in the 40-49 age bracket, and one in the 30-39 age group.

Health officials from Hebrew University said the recent data showed that the fourth wave of the pandemic had already peaked and is now likely to go into decline in the coming weeks.

"The current wave of serious illness was stopped thanks to the booster shot campaign. The decline in the number of new infections is likely to continue through the coming days."