Israel's rapid Covid-19 vaccine rollout has seen the country report on 13 new cases on Saturday May 1, the lowest number of daily cases reported in over a year.
The country's health officials confirmed that only 0.1% of 9,236 tests conducted came back positive, as the vaccine rollout has seen a 98% reduction in cases since the vaccine programme began.
There are now only 1,310 active Covid cases, including 100 cases which are deemed to be of a "serious" nature in Israel.
More than half of the country - around 5.3 million people, including about 77,000 (about 75%) of about 105,000 homebound individuals - have already received their two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine.
Due to the rapid uptake of the vaccine, the country has announced a reopening of its borders to groups of foreign tourists who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine from May 23.
American Airlines confirmed it is launching flights from New York in early May and from Miami to Tel Aviv a month later, using Boeing 777 aircraft grounded during the pandemic.
The figures from Israel has offered hope to health officials in Ireland, as latest statistics here show that as of Friday April 30 1,572,779 vaccine doses had been administered.
1,130,958 have received their first dose while 441,821 people are fully vaccinated.
The HSE is also forecasting to have first dose vaccinations underway for 50-59 year olds throughout the month of June, with people aged 25 to 34 will finally start receiving their first doses of the vaccine in July 2021.
Indian strain
However, Israel has experienced dozens of Covid outbreaks in local areas, which health officials have traced back to the Indian strain of the virus.
41 new cases of the Indian coronavirus variant in Israel were identified by the country's Ministy of Health, including four in people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Israel has banned entry to tourists from India over concerns about the variant's spread and the severe increase in cases within the country.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Health said that "Israeli nationals will be forbidden (save for exceptional cases) to depart to the following destinations: Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico and Turkey."
"Israelis returning from these destinations will be required to stay in isolation, even if they are vaccinated or recovered. Additionally, as a general rule, foreign nationals from these destinations will not be allowed to enter Israel.
"In exceptional approved cases, foreign nationals from these destinations will go into isolation in a state-designated isolation motel," the ministry stated.
