Coronavirus: 180 Israeli pupils quarantined after contact with infected South Koreans

JERUSALEM • Nearly 200 Israeli pupils were ordered to begin a two-week quarantine from yesterday after having come into contact with South Korean tourists who contracted the coronavirus, the Education Ministry said.

South Korean members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus toured Israeli sites between Feb 8 and 15 and, upon their return home, 18 of them were discovered to be infected with the virus.

Israel's Health Ministry urged people who might have encountered the group to self-quarantine, including 180 pupils and 19 staff from three separate schools who it said had close contact with the South Korean visitors.

The pupils and staff, including 18 teachers and a guard, were instructed "to remain home" for 14 days, the Education Ministry said.

It also published a detailed list of the sites visited by the South Koreans, ordering "anyone who has been in touch with the pilgrims" to home-quarantine.

A report by Ynet news site also said Israel may quarantine some 200 visitors from South Korea in a military base south of Jerusalem over coronavirus worries.

But Israeli officials had no immediate comment on the report.

The country on Friday confirmed its first case of the virus in one of its nationals who had flown home from Japan after being quarantined on the cruise ship Diamond Princess.

On Saturday, it refused to allow entry to South Koreans on board a Korean Air flight at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion international airport due to concerns over the virus.

"As the measure was taken without notice in advance by Israel, we have lodged a complaint for causing inconveniences to our travellers and asked to prevent a recurrence," South Korea's Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

In addition, Israel's Health Ministry has imposed an entry ban on non-Israelis arriving from Japan beginning today.

It has also implemented an obligatory 14-day home quarantine for any Israeli who has been to Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Thailand.

"In addition, anyone who has been in Taiwan, Italy or Australia in the past 14 days and is developing the disease's symptoms should be examined," the ministry said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 24, 2020, with the headline Coronavirus: 180 Israeli pupils quarantined after contact with infected South Koreans. Subscribe