Israel detects cases of new Covid variant

Two people suffering from the infection are recovering well, health ministers say

Medics work at a Covid-19 ward in Israel. The country has recorded two cases of a new strain of coronavirus infection. AFP

A new Covid-19 variant has been detected in Israel, the country’s Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

The department said it was unaware of the strain having been identified elsewhere in the world.

The strain, a combination of two subvariants of Omicron, was detected in two passengers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport, near Lod.

The ministry said there was no reason to suggest the strain could cause more severe illness than the globally dominant Omicron variant.

"The two cases of the combined strain, which have been discovered so far, suffered from mild symptoms of fever, headaches and muscle dystrophy, and do not require a special medical response," Israel's Health Ministry said.

Israel's pandemic response chief, Salman Zarka, played down the risks.

"The phenomenon of combined variants is well known," Mr Zarka told Army Radio. "At this stage, we are not worried about it leading to serious cases."

More than four million of Israel's population of 9.2 million have received three coronavirus vaccine shots.

A total of almost 1.4 million cases of Covid-19 infection and 8,244 deaths have been officially recorded in the country.

Last month, Israel announced that unvaccinated tourists would be allowed to enter as part of an easing of restrictions.

The country was seeing a "consistent decline in morbidity data", Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.

A previous effort to reopen Israel's borders foundered in November after only a few weeks because of the fast spread of the Omicron variant.

Israel was one of the first countries to launch a national vaccination campaign, doing so in December 2020.

The government this month announced it would provide fourth Covid-19 vaccine shots to people over 60 and health workers, amid a surge driven by the Omicron variant.