By using the charged word “pandemic” after shying away from calling it so earlier, the UN health agency sought to shock lethargic countries into pulling out all the stops in dealing with COVID-19 disease.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu appeals to Israelis "to make sacrifices" by changing their daily lives. New measures could also mean changes to the school year.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin wants a unity government, but no progress has been made. Senior Likud officials believe Blue and White will ultimately strike a deal without Labor and join Netanyahu's government.
Goverment to allocate 10 billion shekels to help businesses and industries adversely affected by the novel coronavirus as Israel expands containment measures. "The coronavirus will have a big impact, but we are entering this crisis in good shape compared to other countries," Netanyahu says.
A government that depends on the supporters of terrorism who serve on the Joint Arab List is "absurd, unacceptable, inconceivable" say parents of fallen soldiers and civilians.
New patients include nine-year-old boy from central Israel. Member of epidemic management team: Self-quarantine orders for travelers could be eased if virus begins to spread locally.
In hard-hit Iran meanwhile, the outbreak kills 54 more people and pushes the nation's death toll to 291. Lebanon records its first known coronavirus death. In Egypt, there are at least 59 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
In addition to some 100 reservists who have been assigned to bolster Magen David Adom medical personnel, the IDF is calling up some 70 reservists to help prepare a publicity campaign for the Home Front Command.
Blue and White Co-Chairman Yair Lapid explains in Facebook post that despite lacking a majority in the Knesset, Left will try to get a government sworn in with the help of the Arab parties.
Vets say pets can't contract or spread the disease, but stress that quarantine means quarantine, with no exceptions for dog walking.
