Everyone entering Israel must self-quarantine for 14 days, Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Monday released a set of mandatory instructions for individuals arriving in the country, requiring them to self-quarantine in their homes for 14-days to help fight the spread of the coronavirus.

Beginning the date of the announcement, all Israeli citizens returning to Israel from abroad are required to enter a two-week self-quarantine.

Beginning Thursday evening, foreign nationals arriving in Israel will be permitted entry so long as they are able to demonstrate an ability to enter home quarantine while in the country.

Anyone who has returned to Israel from anywhere abroad in the last two weeks is required to enter home quarantine.

Those currently visiting Israel have been given several days to arrange exit travel plans. But they must adhere to a set of precautions involving avoiding large crowds, maintaining good hygienic practice, and documenting their course of their travels in Israel.

The prime minister called the decision “difficult but vital.”

There are now 50 Israelis with confirmed cases of the illness and 1,237 members of the Israeli Defense Forces in quarantine.

Following international trends, the Tel Aviv stock market dipped dramatically on Monday morning.

There are now 7,640 reported cases of coronavirus across the Middle East. However, some experts believe Iran is underreporting its numbers and could have as many as half a million cases develop by this weekend.