Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that it is "impossible to completely prevent the entry" of the coronavirus into the country, which is why the Jewish state is preparing for the scenario in advance.
"We are not taking any unnecessary chances," the premier said. "The virus is already found on five continents and in over 25 countries. We are aware of the fact that it will be impossible to completely prevent the entry of the virus; therefore, we will be prepared in advance to deal with the virus after its first entry to Israel."
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A statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said: "The State of Israel has already taken preventive measures and was among the first countries that decided to restrict flights and land entry for those coming from China."
Netanyahu is also set to convene Sunday with ministers and the relevant experts to further discuss the issue, the statement said.
Meanwhile, 35 Chinese nationals were sent back to Moscow after arriving at Ben-Gurion Airport outside of Tel Aviv on Saturday morning.
The Philippines said on Sunday that a 44-year-old Chinese man had died from the coronavirus, the first fatality from the growing outbreak outside of China, where the epidemic started.
The man developed severe pneumonia after being admitted to a government hospital in Manila on Jan. 25, the department said.
Travel restrictions and business closures aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 300 people in China, could end up causing ripple effects that harm the global economy, experts say.
"When you stop planes and ships, trains and motor vehicles from moving, it starts to shut down the economy – and that can have a cascading effect throughout society," Dr. Eric Toner, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said Saturday, after multiple airlines announced that they would suspend or cut back on flights to and from China, and several countries, including the US, imposed travel restrictions.
It's not just airlines that have cut back on business in China. Apple Inc. announced Saturday that it was temporarily closing all of its offices and its 42 stores in mainland China. Google, Amazon and Microsoft previously announced plans to temporarily shutter offices, and Starbucks and McDonald's have closed some chains.
Apple said it was acting "out of an abundance of caution and based on the latest advice from leading health experts." Its stores will be closed until Feb. 9.
Toner said Apple's decision could also be harmful to the economy and Apple itself, though he noted that many companies, including airlines, are trying to protect their employees.
The US, Australia, Singapore and Japan have imposed travel restrictions and Vietnam suspended all flights to China. At least 24 countries have reported cases of the new virus.
