Another 3 Israelis Diagnosed with Coronavirus, Totaling at 15

Jerusalem, 4 March, 2020 (TPS) -- Another three Israelis were diagnosed with Coronavirus on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infected patients in Israel to 15.

Patients number 13 and 14 were at a toy store where the manager, who recently returned from Italy where he contracted the virus, infected others.

Patient number 15 has recently returned from Italy, which is combating a widespread infection. He was at home in quarantine when he became ill.

The Ministry of Health published the locations that the patient visited since returning to the country and asked the public who was on the flight with him or who may have encountered them in public to enter a self-imposed quarantine for 14 days.

All the Israeli patients are in light condition and are in quarantine at a special compound at the Sheba Hospital in Tel Aviv. Two have recovered and returned home.

Some 5,000 Israelis have been sent into quarantine, mostly at home, out of fear that they may have contracted the virus. The state arranged designated ballots for them on elections day.

The cases of Corona that have been recorded in Israel are mostly of Israelis returning from the east or Italy, but there has yet to be a widespread outbreak in the country.

The IDF has prohibited its soldiers from traveling to countries designated by the Ministry of Health as dangerous, including several countries in the east and Italy.

Israeli researchers at MIGAL Institute announced Thursday that they have made a breakthrough on the way to developing an effective vaccine against Coronavirus and expect it to be ready in the coming weeks.

The novel Coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 80 countries around the world.

Spain experienced its first death from Corona on Tuesday.

At least 93,200 cases of Coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, including at least 3,200 deaths. Some 51,100 have recovered.