Coronavirus OMICRON variant
Coronavirus OMICRON variantISTOCK

The number of confirmed cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in Israel has risen to three, the Health Ministry announced Thursday evening.

All of the Israelis who were infected with the Omicron variant were vaccinated and returned from abroad.

One patient had received the AstraZeneca vaccine and returned from Malawi.

The other two patients had received the Pfizer vaccine, including the booster shot. One had returned from South Africa and the other from Engliand.

There is a high suspicion that 30 other people may have contracted the Omicron variant. Of those 30, 24 are considered 'unprotected' as they had either recovered more than six months ago, are unvaccinated, or received the second vaccine dose more than six months ago and did not receive a booster shot. 11 either returned from abroad or had contact with someone who returned from abroad.

There are eight cases of low suspicion of infection with the Omicron variant.