Second Israeli Contracts Coronavirus After Return from Japan

24 February, 2020   |   4 years ago

Jerusalem, 24 February, 2020 (TPS) -- A second Israeli has tested positive for coronavirus after being flown home from Japan, the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv reported Sunday evening. The patient was on board the Diamond Princess cruise liner and returned to Israel early Friday morning.

The hospital stated that the patient did not catch the virus in Israel and has been quarantined since returning from Japan.

Meanwhile, around 15 Israelis were among some 3,700 passengers trapped on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked in the Japanese port of Yokohama after it was placed under quarantine for two weeks after following the discovery of several cases of coronavirus onboard at the beginning of the month.

Dozens of passengers have already been removed from the ship and hospitalized after testing positive for the virus. Two have died of the virus whilst four Israelis are being treated in hospitals in Japan.

Some 200 people across Israel have been sent into quarantine in their homes after it was discovered over the weekend that a group of South Korean tourists who had recently visited Israel had been infected with the virus. Additionally, 200 South Korean tourists currently in the country are set to be quarantined.

18 members of a group of South Korean pilgrims who had recently visited Israel were diagnosed with the virus after returning to their country, where hundreds of civilians have already been infected.

Israel’s Health Ministry launched an investigation to locate the Israelis who may have had contact with the Korean group while it was in Israel.