The Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) featured statements from Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center officials on the matter.
The report stated that the new variant identified in Israel is the fourth case detected globally, following the United States, United Kingdom, and Denmark.
With numerous mutations carried by the new variant, the report highlighted concerns that it could render vaccines ineffective, which has raised alarms at the World Health Organization (WHO).
On August 17th, WHO updated the status of the variant named BA.2.86 as an "under monitoring variant" due to its many mutations.
