By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM, (Reuters) – Israel could be immune to Omicron infection infections as a result of a surge in Omicron cases. This was according to Reuters’ top health official. Daily Omicron cases were increasing.

Coronavirus has seen a rise in cases due to the highly transmissible Omicron strain. According to Reuters data worldwide infections are at an all-time high. There have been just over a million new cases each day since Dec. 24, according to Reuters. However, deaths haven’t increased in number, which suggests that the new strain is not as deadly.

Israel had managed to avoid Omicron until December. However, Omicron infection rates are increasing rapidly and daily cases could reach new highs over the next three weeks. Nachman Ash, director-general at the health ministry said that this could lead to herd immunity.

Ash stated to 103FM Radio that the cost of many infections will be high. To achieve herd immunity, the numbers must be high. It is possible. However, this will not be achieved by infections. Instead we wish it to be made through the efforts of many people who have been vaccinated.” he stated.

The point where a population is immune to the virus through vaccination, or because they have developed antibodies from the disease.

Nearly 60% of Israel’s 9.4million population is fully immunized. Pfizer (NYSE.) /BioNTech’S vaccine. According to the ministry of health, that means they received at least three doses and have not had a second one in a while. But, thousands upon thousands have yet to receive the third vaccine.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, Israel has seen around 1.3 million cases of coronavirus. According to Eran Segal (data scientist, Weizmann Institute of Science, and adviser to the government), between 2 to 4 million individuals could be infected before January 31st.

Salman Zarka is the head of the Coronavirus Taskforce at Health Ministry. He said that herd immunity wasn’t guaranteed.

Zarka said to Ynet TV that “we have to be cautious about this especially in light of the experience we have over the last two years when people who have recovered from coronavirus have been re-infected.”

Daily infections have quadrupled in the last ten days. The number of severe infections has also increased, but at an even slower rate. It rose from 80 to about 100.

Ash has been closely monitoring severe morbidity and is now considering the possibility of allowing another vaccine for those over 60. This follows its approval for elderly care home residents who are immune-compromised or have an impaired ability to receive it.