Jerusalem, Mar 8 (IANS): The total number of Covid-19 cases in Israel reached 800,721 with 994 new cases added since Saturday evening, the Ministry of Health said.

The death toll from the Covid-19 in Israel reached 5,861 on Sunday, while the number of patients in serious condition stands at 724, out of 1,155 hospitalized patients, Xinhua news agency reported.

The total recoveries rose to 754,210, while the active cases stand at 40,650.

According to the Ministry, the number of people vaccinated against the Covid-19 in Israel is nearly 4.93 million, or 53 per cent of its total population, since the vaccination campaign began on December 20, 2020.

Also on Sunday, the third phase of the exit plan from the full Covid-19 lockdown took effect in Israel, following a decision taken by the Israeli cabinet on Saturday.

As part of the decision, the ban on the entry of Israelis to the country was cancelled, but no more than 3,000 are allowed to enter per day.

Also, the restriction on gatherings in open spaces was eased to 50 people at most, instead of 20, while 20 people may gather indoors instead of 10.

Regarding the education system, pupils in grades 7-10 returned to classes in cities and towns with a low morbidity rate and high rate of vaccinations.

The decision also includes the reopening of restaurants under restrictions, with indoor seating for vaccination certificate holders only.

Culture and sporting events will also resume, with restrictions of 500 people at most in closed spaces and 750 in open areas. However, in arenas and stadiums with over 10,000 seats, double numbers of people will be allowed.