CAIRO, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- As the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is fastly spreading across the globe, countries in the Middle East are experiencing the biggest surge in daily cases in months, if not in years.
Israel on Wednesday reported 11,978 new COVID-19 cases, the highest daily number since the outbreak of the disease in the country in February 2020, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health.
The previous record was 11,344 daily cases reported on Sept. 2, 2021, said the ministry.
Amid the spread of the Omicron variant, Israel has approved a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose for people at high risk, including those who have had a heart, lung, kidney or liver transplant, or suffer rheumatological or autoimmune diseases, cancers, multiple sclerosis and more.
People over 60 and medical workers are also eligible for the booster shot.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Wednesday that the fourth dose boosts antibodies five-fold a week after it is administrated, citing an Israeli study.
"This most likely means significant increase in the protection against infection, hospitalization and symptoms," he said.
The study, which started last week, gave the fourth dose of vaccine to about 150 medical personnel, whose antibody levels had significantly dropped since they received the third doses four to five months ago.
In Lebanon, the daily COVID-19 infections rocketed to a new high since Jan. 15, 2021, with 5,818 new cases reported on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the number of people who died as a result of the virus increased by 20 to 9,213 on Wednesday.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, 39 percent of COVID-19 patients showed no symptoms in the previous 14 days, while 2 percent had severe symptoms and 59 percent mild ones.
In addition, 28.8 percent of those who were infected in the past 14 days were fully vaccinated, while 67.5 percent not vaccinated and 3.7 percent partially vaccinated, the ministry said.
Turkey on Wednesday imposed a booster vaccine dose requirement for attendees of football matches in stadiums, amid skyrocketing daily COVID-19 cases in the country.
The audience is required to show proof of a third vaccine dose to enter stadiums, said the Turkish Football Federation, adding they do not have to wait for the 14-day immunity period after having their booster shots.
The daily COVID-19 infections in Turkey jumped to 66,467 on Wednesday, up from 20,000 on Dec. 26, 2021.
So far, over 133 million vaccine doses have been administered in the country of 83 million people, and the vaccination rate among the adult population has reached 83.38 percent, according to the Turkish Health Ministry.
The number of Turkish citizens who have received their third vaccine doses has surpassed 20 million, the ministry said. Enditem
