The coronavirus cabinet on Monday said that all Israelis returning from abroad must spend at least 10 days alone in state-run hotels, due to concerns about a new, more contagious mutation. the coronavirus.
Foreign nationals will not enter the country at all for two weeks, except in exceptional circumstances.
Ministers decided that the measure will be implemented on Wednesday at 2pm and will be in place for 10 days.
Crowds like Ben-Gurion Airport like Israelis go abroad
(Photo: Yoav Limor)
Israelis enter quarantine at state-run hotels for up to 14 days, but could be released after 10 days if they pass a negative test on the first and the tenth day of loneliness.
If the hotels run out of space, the Ministry of Health will create a list of people who may be authorized to enter quarantine at home.
All returns within the next 48 hours are quarantined at home, where they are tested for coronavirus.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been pushing for a halt to all inflows into and out of Israel altogether.
On Sunday, ministers decided to call on all Israelis to return from the UK, Denmark and South Africa quarantine in government-operated coronavirus hotels.
Travelers who arrived from the UK on Sunday were told they need quarantine at certain coronavirus hotels
Sunday’s decision was made because two London flights were en route to Israel, carrying a total of 120 Israeli passengers. Dozens of passengers decided to return to the UK instead of being alone, despite being told before boarding that the new policy could be in place when they land.
The Ministry of Health said Monday morning that 2,821 new cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed on Sunday, after 70,000 tests, showing a detection rate of 4.1%.
Out of 24,999 patients currently fighting the disease, 456 are in poor condition, with 117 connected to ventilators. Eight people have contracted the virus in the past 24 hours, raising the death toll since the outbreak began to 3,101.
Coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ashes
(Photo: Tal Shahar)
Coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash, who backed the airport’s closure, told ministers Sunday that he is proposing part of a lock-in that includes a ban on all trade.
Ash said the increase in the number of seriously ill patients was higher than the number recorded in November.
He warned that without any mitigation measures, Israel would see up to 1,900 seriously ill patients within three months and that the death toll would rise to 1,250 in the same period.