9 mar 2020
Four patients arrive from Tenerife, one hospitalized in moderate condition, rest in light condition; spouse of medical worker also diagnosed with virus
Eleven more Israelis were confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus, the Health Ministry said on Monday, bringing the country's tally to 50.
Patient No. 40 is a 38-year-old man who traveled to Zurich with El Al flight LY347 that departed on February 23 at 11am and returned with El Al flight LY344 that landed in Israel on March 2 at 2:10am.
The man traveled by private car to Austria and returned to Switzerland, also by private car, on March 1.
Patient No. 41 is a 52-year-old man who traveled to Zurich with Swiss flight LX257 that departed on February 29 at 5:20am and returned with Swiss flight LX256 that landed in Israel on March 6 at 2:30am.
The man traveled by private car to Austria and returned to Switzerland, also by private car, on March 1.
Patient No. 42 is a 41-year-old man who traveled from Tel Aviv to Istanbul with Pegasus flight PC786 that departed on February 25 at 5:30pm, from Istanbul to Madrid with Pegasus flight PC1099 that departed on February 26 at 8:45am, and returned from Madrid to Tel Aviv with El Al flight LY398 that landed in Israel on March 2 at 11:15pm.
The epidemiological report shows the patient was at the following locations after his return to Israel:
-Mapalim Hall in Rishon LeTsiyon on March 3 between 9pm and 11pm.
-Hotel David InterContinental Tel Aviv on March 4 between 6am and 4pm.
-Supermarket at Hamakhtesh 6 in Holon on March 4 between 4:30pm and 5:30pm.
Patient No. 43 is a 40-year-old woman from central Israel who traveled to Paris with El Al flight LY323 that departed on February 27 at 9am and returned with El Al flight LY324 that landed in Israel on March 5 at 3:45pm. The patient entered quarantine upon her arrival in Israel.
Patient No. 44 is a woman from central Israel who traveled to Zurich with Swiss flight LX257 that departed on February 25 at 5:20am, from Zurich to Tenerife with Swiss flight LX8214 that departed on February 25 at 9:35am and returned with Swiss flight LX8215 from Tenerife to Zurich that departed on March 3 at 2pm and Swiss Flight LX256 from Zurich to Tel Aviv that departed on March 3 at 10:40pm.
The patient took part in an organized trip to Tenerife and returned on March 4. She stayed at the Las Vegas Hotel in Tenerife, where 9 groups of Israelis stayed at the time. The patient is in home quarantine since Wednesday, March 4.
Patient No. 45 is a 60-year-old woman from Jerusalem who came in direct contact with another confirmed patient.
Patients No. 46-48 are from central Israel and came in direct contact with another confirmed patient.
Patient No. 49 is a man from northern Israel who traveled to Lisbon with Air Portugal flight TAP1604 that departed on February 23 at 5am, from Lisbon to Tenerife with Air Portugal flight TAP1128 that departed on February 24 at 9:25am and returned with Air Portugal flight TAP1127 from Tenerife to Lisbon that departed on March 3 at 12:40am and Air Portugal flight TAP1603 from Lisbon to Tel Aviv that departed on March 4 at 2:20pm.
The patient used the airport's shuttle services on March 4 around 10:30pm to transport to the Herzliya train station and took a train to Hof Carmel train station in Haifa. He entered quarantine on March 4. He is currently hospitalized in moderate condition.
Patient No. 50 is a woman from northern Israel who traveled to Madria with Iberia flight IB3317 that departed on February 25 at 6am, from Madrid to Tenerife with Iberia flight IB3940 that departed on February 25 at 1:45pm and returned with Iberia flight IB 3943 from Tenerife to Madrid that departed on March 3 at 11:05am and Iberia flight IB3316 from Madrid to Tel Aviv that departed on March 3 at 5pm.
The patient the Hazafon Theater in Kiryat Haim on March 4 between 5:30pm and 6pm and entered quarantine later that day.
Meanwhile, the spouse of a doctor, who works at Sheba Medical Center in central Israel, has tested positive for the virus.
The hospital released a statement saying it is still unknown whether the doctor has contracted the virus as her test results are still pending.
"Following the spouse's diagnosis, it was decided to exercise caution, and before receiving the doctor's test results, we have instructed anyone in her immediate vicinity to enter preventive home-quarantine," read the statement. "In parallel, we are working to track down patients who came into contact with the doctor in case her test results return positive."
Eleven more Israelis were confirmed to have contracted the novel coronavirus, the Health Ministry said on Monday, bringing the country's tally to 50.
Patient No. 40 is a 38-year-old man who traveled to Zurich with El Al flight LY347 that departed on February 23 at 11am and returned with El Al flight LY344 that landed in Israel on March 2 at 2:10am.
The man traveled by private car to Austria and returned to Switzerland, also by private car, on March 1.
Patient No. 41 is a 52-year-old man who traveled to Zurich with Swiss flight LX257 that departed on February 29 at 5:20am and returned with Swiss flight LX256 that landed in Israel on March 6 at 2:30am.
The man traveled by private car to Austria and returned to Switzerland, also by private car, on March 1.
Patient No. 42 is a 41-year-old man who traveled from Tel Aviv to Istanbul with Pegasus flight PC786 that departed on February 25 at 5:30pm, from Istanbul to Madrid with Pegasus flight PC1099 that departed on February 26 at 8:45am, and returned from Madrid to Tel Aviv with El Al flight LY398 that landed in Israel on March 2 at 11:15pm.
The epidemiological report shows the patient was at the following locations after his return to Israel:
-Mapalim Hall in Rishon LeTsiyon on March 3 between 9pm and 11pm.
-Hotel David InterContinental Tel Aviv on March 4 between 6am and 4pm.
-Supermarket at Hamakhtesh 6 in Holon on March 4 between 4:30pm and 5:30pm.
Patient No. 43 is a 40-year-old woman from central Israel who traveled to Paris with El Al flight LY323 that departed on February 27 at 9am and returned with El Al flight LY324 that landed in Israel on March 5 at 3:45pm. The patient entered quarantine upon her arrival in Israel.
Patient No. 44 is a woman from central Israel who traveled to Zurich with Swiss flight LX257 that departed on February 25 at 5:20am, from Zurich to Tenerife with Swiss flight LX8214 that departed on February 25 at 9:35am and returned with Swiss flight LX8215 from Tenerife to Zurich that departed on March 3 at 2pm and Swiss Flight LX256 from Zurich to Tel Aviv that departed on March 3 at 10:40pm.
The patient took part in an organized trip to Tenerife and returned on March 4. She stayed at the Las Vegas Hotel in Tenerife, where 9 groups of Israelis stayed at the time. The patient is in home quarantine since Wednesday, March 4.
Patient No. 45 is a 60-year-old woman from Jerusalem who came in direct contact with another confirmed patient.
Patients No. 46-48 are from central Israel and came in direct contact with another confirmed patient.
Patient No. 49 is a man from northern Israel who traveled to Lisbon with Air Portugal flight TAP1604 that departed on February 23 at 5am, from Lisbon to Tenerife with Air Portugal flight TAP1128 that departed on February 24 at 9:25am and returned with Air Portugal flight TAP1127 from Tenerife to Lisbon that departed on March 3 at 12:40am and Air Portugal flight TAP1603 from Lisbon to Tel Aviv that departed on March 4 at 2:20pm.
The patient used the airport's shuttle services on March 4 around 10:30pm to transport to the Herzliya train station and took a train to Hof Carmel train station in Haifa. He entered quarantine on March 4. He is currently hospitalized in moderate condition.
Patient No. 50 is a woman from northern Israel who traveled to Madria with Iberia flight IB3317 that departed on February 25 at 6am, from Madrid to Tenerife with Iberia flight IB3940 that departed on February 25 at 1:45pm and returned with Iberia flight IB 3943 from Tenerife to Madrid that departed on March 3 at 11:05am and Iberia flight IB3316 from Madrid to Tel Aviv that departed on March 3 at 5pm.
The patient the Hazafon Theater in Kiryat Haim on March 4 between 5:30pm and 6pm and entered quarantine later that day.
Meanwhile, the spouse of a doctor, who works at Sheba Medical Center in central Israel, has tested positive for the virus.
The hospital released a statement saying it is still unknown whether the doctor has contracted the virus as her test results are still pending.
"Following the spouse's diagnosis, it was decided to exercise caution, and before receiving the doctor's test results, we have instructed anyone in her immediate vicinity to enter preventive home-quarantine," read the statement. "In parallel, we are working to track down patients who came into contact with the doctor in case her test results return positive."
Athens mission closed and disinfected, investigation will be held to discover who he was in contact with; Health Ministry says more than 22,000 Israelis now in home quarantine; buses to keep first row empty as buffer between driver and passengers
An employee of the Israeli Embassy in Athens was confirmed Monday to have coronavirus and has also infected two family members.
The man was on a flight from Israel to Greece with Greek pilgrims later diagnosed to have coronavirus.
The Israeli Embassy in Athens will be closed for rest of Sunday and disinfected and an investigation will be conducted to find out who else the employee has been in contact with.
Israel is expected to expand the list of countries from where returning nationals will need to spend 14 days in quarantine. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that a decision will be taken whether to simply expand home quarantine to all people returning from abroad.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry has decided in the last 24 hours to try to reduce contact between bus drivers and passengers, in an effort to protect the health of public transport users.
A letter sent by Amir Asraf, the director of the National Transportation Authority, set out new regulations for drivers, including the decision to ban passengers from sitting close to the driver.
According to the regulations, the first row of seats on every bus will remain empty to create a buffer between passengers and driver during the journey. Israeli buses operate a payment by swipe card scheme.
The Health Ministry said Monday that more than 22,000 Israelis are now in home quarantine and that most of those with the virus have light symptoms.
Nonetheless, the man who drove the Greek pilgrims during their visit to the Holy Land is still in serious condition in Poriya Hospital in Tiberias and the manager of a toy store in center of the country who visited Italy.
The ministry said Sunday that 13 more people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in Israel to 39. For the first time, health officials cannot trace the source of the infection of one of the patients.
According to the ministry, seven of the patients recently returned from European countries, including Italy, Spain, Austria and Belgium, while the other six contracted the virus in Israel after coming in direct contact with people already infected with COVID-19.
Thirty-six people are still hospitalized with the virus, including a 38-year-old East Jerusalem man who remains in serious condition after driving a group of Greek pilgrims who positive for the virus upon their arrival in Greece. Three others appear to have recovered from the illness.
For the first time since the start of the outbreak in early February, the health authorities said they couldn't trace the source of the infection of a 40-year-old patient who lives in central Israel.
One of the patient who returned from the Spanish Tenerife resort on March 3 is a woman from the northern city of Haifa, who has been in home-quarantine since her arrival back to Israel. She had flown from Tenerife to Madrid via Iberia Airline flight number 3943, and from Madrid to Tel Aviv via a flight number 3316 of the same airline.
Another patient returned from Austria on March 5 and is also a resident of northern Israel. He had landed in the country at 6:05 pm and took a train from Ben Gurion Airport to the city of Acre. He has been in self-quarantine since then.
The third patient is a 60-year-old Jerusalem resident who has been in self-quarantine since March 6.
All patients are reportedly in light condition and the full details of the epidemiological investigation, including the patients' flight details and exact whereabouts before entering quarantine, will be published upon the investigation's completion on the Health Ministry's official website.
An employee of the Israeli Embassy in Athens was confirmed Monday to have coronavirus and has also infected two family members.
The man was on a flight from Israel to Greece with Greek pilgrims later diagnosed to have coronavirus.
The Israeli Embassy in Athens will be closed for rest of Sunday and disinfected and an investigation will be conducted to find out who else the employee has been in contact with.
Israel is expected to expand the list of countries from where returning nationals will need to spend 14 days in quarantine. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that a decision will be taken whether to simply expand home quarantine to all people returning from abroad.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry has decided in the last 24 hours to try to reduce contact between bus drivers and passengers, in an effort to protect the health of public transport users.
A letter sent by Amir Asraf, the director of the National Transportation Authority, set out new regulations for drivers, including the decision to ban passengers from sitting close to the driver.
According to the regulations, the first row of seats on every bus will remain empty to create a buffer between passengers and driver during the journey. Israeli buses operate a payment by swipe card scheme.
The Health Ministry said Monday that more than 22,000 Israelis are now in home quarantine and that most of those with the virus have light symptoms.
Nonetheless, the man who drove the Greek pilgrims during their visit to the Holy Land is still in serious condition in Poriya Hospital in Tiberias and the manager of a toy store in center of the country who visited Italy.
The ministry said Sunday that 13 more people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in Israel to 39. For the first time, health officials cannot trace the source of the infection of one of the patients.
According to the ministry, seven of the patients recently returned from European countries, including Italy, Spain, Austria and Belgium, while the other six contracted the virus in Israel after coming in direct contact with people already infected with COVID-19.
Thirty-six people are still hospitalized with the virus, including a 38-year-old East Jerusalem man who remains in serious condition after driving a group of Greek pilgrims who positive for the virus upon their arrival in Greece. Three others appear to have recovered from the illness.
For the first time since the start of the outbreak in early February, the health authorities said they couldn't trace the source of the infection of a 40-year-old patient who lives in central Israel.
One of the patient who returned from the Spanish Tenerife resort on March 3 is a woman from the northern city of Haifa, who has been in home-quarantine since her arrival back to Israel. She had flown from Tenerife to Madrid via Iberia Airline flight number 3943, and from Madrid to Tel Aviv via a flight number 3316 of the same airline.
Another patient returned from Austria on March 5 and is also a resident of northern Israel. He had landed in the country at 6:05 pm and took a train from Ben Gurion Airport to the city of Acre. He has been in self-quarantine since then.
The third patient is a 60-year-old Jerusalem resident who has been in self-quarantine since March 6.
All patients are reportedly in light condition and the full details of the epidemiological investigation, including the patients' flight details and exact whereabouts before entering quarantine, will be published upon the investigation's completion on the Health Ministry's official website.
8 mar 2020
Busses being disinfected in northern Israel amid coronavirus fears
Health Ministry says 7 of the newly infected recently returned from Europe, 6 others contracted the virus from those already infected with COVID-19
Thirteen more people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in Israel to 39, the Health Ministry confirmed on Sunday. For the first time, health authorities could not trace the source of the infection of one of the patients.
Health Ministry said seven of the patients recently returned from European countries, including Italy, Spain, Austria and Belgium, while the other six have contracted the virus in Israel after coming in direct contact with people already infected with COVID-19.
Thirty-six people are still hospitalized with the virus, including a 38-year-old East Jerusalem man who remains in serious condition after driving a group of Greek pilgrims who positive for the virus upon their arrival in Greece. Three others appear to have recovered from the illness.
For the first time since the start of the outbreak in early February, the health authorities said they couldn't trace the source of the infection of a 40-year-old patient who lives in central Israel.
One of the patient who returned from the Spanish Tenerife resort on March 3 is a woman from the northern city of Haifa, who has been in home-quarantine since her arrival back to Israel. She had flown from Tenerife to Madrid via Iberia Airline flight number 3943, and from Madrid to Tel Aviv via a flight number 3316 of the same airline.
Another patient returned from Austria on March 5 and is also a resident of northern Israel. He had landed in the country at 6:05 pm and took a train from Ben Gurion Airport to the city of Acre. He has been in self-quarantine since then.
The third patient is a 60-year-old Jerusalem resident who has been in self-quarantine since March 6.
All patients are reportedly in light condition and the full details of the epidemiological investigation, including the patients' flight details and exact whereabouts before entering quarantine, will be published upon the investigation's completion on the Health Ministry's official website.
Health Ministry says 7 of the newly infected recently returned from Europe, 6 others contracted the virus from those already infected with COVID-19
Thirteen more people have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in Israel to 39, the Health Ministry confirmed on Sunday. For the first time, health authorities could not trace the source of the infection of one of the patients.
Health Ministry said seven of the patients recently returned from European countries, including Italy, Spain, Austria and Belgium, while the other six have contracted the virus in Israel after coming in direct contact with people already infected with COVID-19.
Thirty-six people are still hospitalized with the virus, including a 38-year-old East Jerusalem man who remains in serious condition after driving a group of Greek pilgrims who positive for the virus upon their arrival in Greece. Three others appear to have recovered from the illness.
For the first time since the start of the outbreak in early February, the health authorities said they couldn't trace the source of the infection of a 40-year-old patient who lives in central Israel.
One of the patient who returned from the Spanish Tenerife resort on March 3 is a woman from the northern city of Haifa, who has been in home-quarantine since her arrival back to Israel. She had flown from Tenerife to Madrid via Iberia Airline flight number 3943, and from Madrid to Tel Aviv via a flight number 3316 of the same airline.
Another patient returned from Austria on March 5 and is also a resident of northern Israel. He had landed in the country at 6:05 pm and took a train from Ben Gurion Airport to the city of Acre. He has been in self-quarantine since then.
The third patient is a 60-year-old Jerusalem resident who has been in self-quarantine since March 6.
All patients are reportedly in light condition and the full details of the epidemiological investigation, including the patients' flight details and exact whereabouts before entering quarantine, will be published upon the investigation's completion on the Health Ministry's official website.
Image posted to Facebook depicting Blue & White, Joint List, and Yisrael Beytenu lawmakers wearing keffiyehs
Knesset's serjeant-at-arms gives order after several hateful and inciteful posts targeting Gantz and other Blue & White senior officials circulate online over the weekend
Knesset's chief security officer ordered to tighten personal security measures around Blue & White Chairman Benny Gantz starting Sunday morning following threats he received on social media.
Parliament's serjeant-at-arms Yosef Griff informed Gantz's team of the new security protocol Saturday evening.
The incident was brought to Griff's attention after several hateful and inciteful posts targeting Gantz and other Blue & White senior officials circulated online over the weekend.
Some users implied, or outright argued, that Gantz should share the same fate as former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who was assassinated in November 1995.
"They should murder Gantz at Rabin Square [in Tel Aviv] and so he could join Rabin," wrote one user on Facebook.
"[Gantz] will end up like Rabin. This moron still doesn't get it," wrote a Twitter user named Sari, who presents herself as a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gantz addressed Saturday evening the incitement against him and his party's senior officials and directly blamed Netanyahu for invoking hate among his constituents.
"We are just five days after the hardest, most hate-filled election campaign in the history of our nation and Israeli society," said the former IDF chief.
"Netanyahu, the public atmosphere and the threats are very worrying to every national leader. Again, posters of leaders with keffiyehs [traditional Arab headdress] and, again, you remain silent."
Incitement is rampant everywhere and you remain silent. I won't allow you to sow hatred and bring about the first modern civil war. The atmosphere is very worrying."
"On the basis of the public's decision, I have decided to form a strong and stable government that will cure Israel of hatred and division and let us all move forward," the centrist leader told journalists, announcing an end to the "Netanyahu era" in Israeli politics.
"I will do anything I can to prevent a fourth election," Gantz said.
Gantz also told Saturday evening he was verbally abused by an individual who tried to approach and confront him, as he was about to give a speech in Ramat Gan.
The attacker was removed by Gantz's personal security guard, but the Blue & White leader said he preferred to respond positively and wanted to shake the man's hand. However, the man continued to yell at him.
According to the latest election counts, Netanyahu's Likud party won 36 seats in the next Knesset, followed by Blue & White that obtained 33 seats.
However, neither party is currently able to form a viable majority government, as both Likud's right-religious bloc and Blue & White's center-left bloc failed to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-strong Knesset.
The final results are expected to be published on Sunday.
Knesset's serjeant-at-arms gives order after several hateful and inciteful posts targeting Gantz and other Blue & White senior officials circulate online over the weekend
Knesset's chief security officer ordered to tighten personal security measures around Blue & White Chairman Benny Gantz starting Sunday morning following threats he received on social media.
Parliament's serjeant-at-arms Yosef Griff informed Gantz's team of the new security protocol Saturday evening.
The incident was brought to Griff's attention after several hateful and inciteful posts targeting Gantz and other Blue & White senior officials circulated online over the weekend.
Some users implied, or outright argued, that Gantz should share the same fate as former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who was assassinated in November 1995.
"They should murder Gantz at Rabin Square [in Tel Aviv] and so he could join Rabin," wrote one user on Facebook.
"[Gantz] will end up like Rabin. This moron still doesn't get it," wrote a Twitter user named Sari, who presents herself as a staunch supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Gantz addressed Saturday evening the incitement against him and his party's senior officials and directly blamed Netanyahu for invoking hate among his constituents.
"We are just five days after the hardest, most hate-filled election campaign in the history of our nation and Israeli society," said the former IDF chief.
"Netanyahu, the public atmosphere and the threats are very worrying to every national leader. Again, posters of leaders with keffiyehs [traditional Arab headdress] and, again, you remain silent."
Incitement is rampant everywhere and you remain silent. I won't allow you to sow hatred and bring about the first modern civil war. The atmosphere is very worrying."
"On the basis of the public's decision, I have decided to form a strong and stable government that will cure Israel of hatred and division and let us all move forward," the centrist leader told journalists, announcing an end to the "Netanyahu era" in Israeli politics.
"I will do anything I can to prevent a fourth election," Gantz said.
Gantz also told Saturday evening he was verbally abused by an individual who tried to approach and confront him, as he was about to give a speech in Ramat Gan.
The attacker was removed by Gantz's personal security guard, but the Blue & White leader said he preferred to respond positively and wanted to shake the man's hand. However, the man continued to yell at him.
According to the latest election counts, Netanyahu's Likud party won 36 seats in the next Knesset, followed by Blue & White that obtained 33 seats.
However, neither party is currently able to form a viable majority government, as both Likud's right-religious bloc and Blue & White's center-left bloc failed to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-strong Knesset.
The final results are expected to be published on Sunday.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman during news conference
Health officials say decision on whether to implement the measure will be made on Monday; claim they take economic considerations into account when effectively cutting off foreign tourism
Health officials said on Sunday they're examining a possibility of extending entry bans and requiring Israelis returning from all countries to enter a 14-day home quarantine over coronavirus fears. The move would effectively cut off foreign tourism.
Last week Israel extended its compulsory two-week quarantine to nationals returning from Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. Travelers returning to Israel from China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, and Italy have already been instructed to do the same.
In a special press conference held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and Director General of the Health Ministry Moshe Bar-Siman-Tov, the three said the final decision on whether to implement the measure will be taken on Monday after consultation with health experts.
"We have reached the decision that if we take additional steps, it will apply to all countries," he said during the news conference. "The decision [whether to implement the measure] is very difficult. There are questions about how to do it … We are not talking about closing our borders, but only requiring quarantine from those arriving in Israel,” he added.
"The emphasis is on trying to get to home tests, just like a pregnancy test or a throat surface test … to separate the healthy people from the sick.”
Litzman said the fact that so far only 26 people tested positive for the virus in Israel is a testament the steps taken by the Health Ministry to slow the spread of coronavirus. "Switzerland, which is on the same scale as Israel, has 270 cases," he said.
“There are things we need to consider [when making the decision] including economy, but economy is not the decisive issue, only the public health.”
The Health Ministry initially put forward the demand to expand entry restrictions to include travelers from all countries during Netanyahu’s cabinet meeting in the afternoon hours. The question of expanding the ban to the United States remains a sensitive topic due to possible political implications of the move.
Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence shortly after the cabinet meeting, apparently discussing a possibility of including the U.S. into the list of countries with travel advisory. Sources close to the prime minister say among the states that might be included in the entry ban are: New York, California and Washington.
Israel has reported 28 coronavirus cases and some 80,000 Israelis are in self-quarantine after returning from foreign visits.
Health officials say decision on whether to implement the measure will be made on Monday; claim they take economic considerations into account when effectively cutting off foreign tourism
Health officials said on Sunday they're examining a possibility of extending entry bans and requiring Israelis returning from all countries to enter a 14-day home quarantine over coronavirus fears. The move would effectively cut off foreign tourism.
Last week Israel extended its compulsory two-week quarantine to nationals returning from Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria. Travelers returning to Israel from China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, and Italy have already been instructed to do the same.
In a special press conference held by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and Director General of the Health Ministry Moshe Bar-Siman-Tov, the three said the final decision on whether to implement the measure will be taken on Monday after consultation with health experts.
"We have reached the decision that if we take additional steps, it will apply to all countries," he said during the news conference. "The decision [whether to implement the measure] is very difficult. There are questions about how to do it … We are not talking about closing our borders, but only requiring quarantine from those arriving in Israel,” he added.
"The emphasis is on trying to get to home tests, just like a pregnancy test or a throat surface test … to separate the healthy people from the sick.”
Litzman said the fact that so far only 26 people tested positive for the virus in Israel is a testament the steps taken by the Health Ministry to slow the spread of coronavirus. "Switzerland, which is on the same scale as Israel, has 270 cases," he said.
“There are things we need to consider [when making the decision] including economy, but economy is not the decisive issue, only the public health.”
The Health Ministry initially put forward the demand to expand entry restrictions to include travelers from all countries during Netanyahu’s cabinet meeting in the afternoon hours. The question of expanding the ban to the United States remains a sensitive topic due to possible political implications of the move.
Netanyahu spoke with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence shortly after the cabinet meeting, apparently discussing a possibility of including the U.S. into the list of countries with travel advisory. Sources close to the prime minister say among the states that might be included in the entry ban are: New York, California and Washington.
Israel has reported 28 coronavirus cases and some 80,000 Israelis are in self-quarantine after returning from foreign visits.
