JERUSALEM

Pfizer-BioNTech jabs are 70% effective against the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19, according to a study conducted in Israel.

The results of Hebrew University's research on the vaccine's efficacy were published by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) on Sunday.

The new finding is compared to the 95% rate of effectiveness of the vaccine against earlier virus strains.

Delta variant, which was first detected in India, is said to be responsible for more than 90% of new COVID cases in Israel over the past two weeks.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 3.97 million lives in 192 countries and regions, with some 183.74 million cases reported worldwide, according to US-based Johns Hopkins University.