Coronavirus in Israel

180 Israeli students 

quarantined after 

coronavirus exposure

"The potential that someone caught the virus from the [South Korean] tourists is high; whoever doesn't enter quarantine is endangering the public."



JerusalemPost,
23 February, 2020



180 Israeli students are now in isolation after being exposed to South Korean tourists who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a report by Channel 12.

The South Koreans returned home on February 15 from an eight-day visit to Israel. While it’s unknown whether the group contracted the virus before or after their return to South Korea, the Health Ministry is operating on the assumption that they arrived in Israel as carriers of the virus, which has a 14-day incubation period during which those infected are asymptomatic.

Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Health Ministry director-general Moshe Bar Siman Tov said the group had likely come into contact with “hundreds” of Israelis during their stay in the country. The ministry published the details of their itinerary, including visits to numerous Jerusalem churches, the Dead Sea, Masada, Beersheba, Caesarea and Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs.

All Israelis who came into contact with one of the infected individuals – defined as within two meters for at least 15 minutes – have been instructed to remain in isolation for two weeks.

The students will remain in quarantine only until Wednesday, as they were exposed two weeks ago.

Yesterday it was discovered that 90 students, 60 from Kiryat Haim, and 30 from Beersheba were exposed to the South Koreans. This morning an additional 90 students from Afula and 10 teachers were exposed after a trip to Masada at the same time the South Korean tourists were there.

Bar Siman Tov held a special press conference last night following fear of the coronavirus spreading. "We have an opportunity here to stay on top of the virus," he said. "The potential that someone caught the virus from the tourists is high; whoever doesn't enter quarantine is endangering the public."

The South Korean government filed a complaint with Israel on Sunday following the decision last night to prevent the entry of 130 of its citizens who had already reached Ben-Gurion Airport.

An official statement from the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said: "We expressed regret to Israel for the decision and demanded that it not happen again."



The incident came after a group of pilgrims from South Korea who visited Israel about a week and a half ago found were found to have cases of coronavirus infection.


Twelve Border Police officers who were in the Cave of the Patriarchs during the visit of the South Korean tourists were ordered into quarantine at their homes by their commander. Police said, "The decision was made after questioning and examining the security cameras that proved they were in proximity to [the tourists]."



Also, about 200 students and teachers from Afula, Be'er Sheva and Kiryat Haim were sent into quarantine until Wednesday, after staying last week at sites visited by the pilgrims. At present, the Israelis have no symptoms of the virus.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/276367

Lebanon confirmed its first coronavirus case on Friday (Feb 21), a 45-year-old woman who had arrived from Iran and was being quarantined in a Beirut hospital.

Two other suspected cases were being followed and the authorities were taking all necessary precautions in line with recommendations of the World Health Organisation, Health Minister Hamad Hassan told a news conference.



Mr Hassan added that the woman, who had travelled from the holy city of Qom in Iran, is currently in good health, AFP reported.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/coronavirus-lebanon-confirms-first-case-imported-from-iran