Coronavirus ward, Ichilov Hospital Tel Aviv
Coronavirus ward, Ichilov Hospital Tel AvivEitan Elhadez / TPS

A total 40,430 new coronavirus cases were diagnosed Thursday, Israel's Health Ministry reported Friday morning.

The tally does not include home antigen tests performed by those who are not required to undergo official tests. On Thursday, Professor Galia Rahav, top doctor at Sheba Medical Center, estimated that the true number is three times the official number.

Of the COVID-19 test results received Thursday, 12.65% were positive - a slight rise from Wednesday's 12.03%, but not significantly changed relative to the rest of the week.

Across the country, there are 306 coronavirus patients in serious condition, among them 86 whose condition is critical and 76 who are intubated. Twelve COVID-19 patients are on ECMO (heart and lung) machines.

The number of coronavirus patients in serious condition has risen sharply in the past week: On Sunday, just 203 coronavirus patients were in serious condition; by Thursday the number had risen to 283. The vast majority of these are unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, 506,022 Israelis - all of them either elderly, immunocompromised, or healthcare workers - have received a fourth dose.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Thursday night praised these pioneers, saying, "Israel’s trailblazing vaccine campaign has reached another milestone."

"Thank you to the half a million Israelis who got the fourth dose of the COVID vaccine and in so doing, help to keep us all safer."