The coronavirus outbreak in Israel stands to get exponentially worse, a top Health Ministry official said Sunday.
So far, 39 Israelis have been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus. Over 70,000 Israelis – those who have recently returned from trips to Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, and Italy, and those exposed to them in various ways – have been ordered into a 14-day home quarantine.
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Professor Itamar Grotto, director of Public Health Services in the Health Ministry, told Channel 12 News that he believes tens of thousands of Israelis will contract the virus.
According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, sore throat, or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually.
Some people become infected but do not develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. About 80% recover from the disease without needing special treatment; one in six becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing.
The elderly, as well as those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness.
"Our estimates say that we will see thousands – even tens of thousands of patients. There's no getting around that," Grotto said.
"Not all patients will need to be hospitalized – the majority will be treated in the community", he reassured. "About 80%-90% of patients will experience very mild symptoms and all they will have to do is observe quarantine until the illness passes. They won't need special medical care."
Grotto leveled criticism at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, in central Israel, which has set up a special isolation ward for COVID-19 patients, calling the move "unnecessary."
"It's an unnecessary display that, unfortunately, does more harm than good. This is not how we deal with this disease – it requires home quarantine. Hospital quartering is too extreme since it's not an airborne disease. The means of isolation should be lighter."
"You have to go from maximum protection to optimal protection, which means specific quarantine, rudimentary protective gear [for hospital personnel] like robes, headgear, gloves – not spacesuits."
