Baby (illustration)
Baby (illustration)iStock

Recent morbidity data shows an alarming increase in the number of children under the age of two who have become infected with the coronavirus, Channel 12 News reported.

According to the data, in November 377 babies were diagnosed with the coronavirus. In December that number rose to 1,526 and in January it ballooned to 5,780.

It is believed that the sharp rise in infant morbidity is due to the spread of the British variant of the coronavirus, a mutation which is even more contagious than the original strand of the disease.

Earlier, the Health Ministry announced that the death toll from the coronavirus has risen by 38 since this morning and now stands at 4,928.

1,104 patients are hospitalized in serious condition, 391 of whom are in critical condition. 304 patients are on ventilators.