JERUSALEM, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Wednesday detected 36 more cases of A/H1N1 influenza, which brought the total number to 542, reported local news service Ynet.

    Recent weeks have seen a rapid increase of A/H1N1 flu cases in the Jewish state, which has a population of about 7 million. According to Ynet, the total number has more than doubled over the past two weeks.

    No death case has been reported so far in Israel, and most of the previously reported patients have already recovered.

    Also on Wednesday, the Health Ministry decided to change the protocol for treating A/H1N1 flu patients. Ynet reported that patients in light conditions do not need to go in for tests or receive preventive treatment, yet patients in high-risk groups, such as those suffering from chronic heart or lung disease, are still requested to be tested when they show symptoms of the sickness.

    In light of its rapid spread worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) last month raised the A/H1N1 alert to its highest level, formally declaring that it had developed into a global pandemic.

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu