Israelis who travel to several Asian countries will be subject to mandatory quarantine for two weeks upon their return to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Israeli Ministry of Health said in a statement on Sunday.
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The mandatory isolation was already in effect for people who arrived in Israel from mainland China, but the new directive expanded this to anyone who arrives from Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau.
With Thailand being a top destination for Israeli tourists, this could impact hundreds of thousands of Israelis.
The measure will be strictly enforced regardless of whether the returning passengers exhibit any symptoms.
Earlier on Sunday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel would help bring back the Israelis who have been quarantined on a cruise ship off the coast of Japan due to an outbreak of the virus on board. Three Israelis who were on the ship were tested positive for the virus and at least two of them were hospitalized in Japan.
