Following the discovery of the virus in nine tourists from South Korea, the Ministry of Health issued new guidelines • 30 ISA students and workers from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority have been isolated • Tourist entry from the country is banned and a plane landed from Seoul will be reinstated to Korea

• Photo: IP

The Ministry of Health gave a special briefing this evening (Saturday night) following the report of nine South Korean tourists who visited Israel earlier this month and were diagnosed in their country with Corona virus symptoms.

Health Ministry briefing following Corona's arrival in Israel // Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon

Timna Park said five workers who were on duty during the pilgrimage visit were sent to isolation in their home, despite not being in "close contact" with the pilgrim group. The employees feel good and without any exceptions. "We are in close contact with the Ministry of Health, and follow the guidelines," Park said. In addition, 30 students and three teachers from Be'er Sheva were isolated. In addition, 20 employees of the Nature and Parks Authority, 16 of them in Masada, three in Caesarea and one in Tel Be'er Sheva, who were in contact with tourists from Korea, were instructed to remain in solitary confinement until February 26.

Prof. Sigal Sadecki and Director General of the Ministry of Health Bar Good Sign // Photo: Gideon Markovich

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a special assessment tomorrow on the issue of the Corona virus in the Ministry of Health, with the Minister of Health, Litzman, Government Ministers, Office Directors, Hospitals and other senior officials. The situation is further discussed in recent discussions on the issue. Preparing and dealing with the Corona virus and the latest developments.

During the Health Ministry briefing, CEO Moshe Bar Good said, "Now the guidelines for banning entry of foreign nationals are extended to South Korea and Japan, and we are also considering an extension to Taiwan. Are there any symptoms and think you need to be tested? Don't go to clinics and the hospital - we've set up a dedicated hot spot in collaboration with MDA. Don't go to the clinics unnecessarily. "

Professor Sigal Sadecki, head of public health at the Ministry of Health, said: "The health bureaus are continuing to conduct a thorough epidemiological investigation of the locations visited by the South Korean health care group. The number of patients in this group may increase if more patients are diagnosed. We do everything we can to find out who should be admitted. In addition, we have published the names of the places so that people can locate themselves and place themselves in a house. House insulation is needed for 14 days since the meeting with the same group. Public cooperation is very much needed. "

Chief of Public Health Sigal Sadecki clarified that "Those who come in contact with tourists should be in isolation. Their families live with them in the same house and we have explicit instructions on how to maintain isolation to protect the rest of the home. These are guidelines found on our website and hotline to answer questions. The students in Be'er Sheva do not have to be in isolation. If there is a person who is in isolation, his child can go to school.

The CEO of the firm Bar Good Mark addressed the passengers of the South Korean airplane: "We are in contact with the Korean Embassy. Their representation was here. We formulate a way to bring them back to their country. "Sadecki noted about the passengers of the plane in the office having an epidemiological investigation." Can't say how many there are. We are still clearly the names. The chance of getting caught in an airplane depends on the distance from the infected person. Because we don't know who the people are and where they were sitting, we treat everyone on the plane as being in danger of being infected. "

Korean plane // Photo: Airports Authority

The head of health added: "There may be people with mild symptoms earlier who did not think there was a reason for a test. Now those people can say there are symptoms and will be tested. Symptoms are fever over 38 degrees, cough, sore throat or difficulty breathing or other respiratory symptom." .

Good sign: "We expect people to abide by our guidelines not because of the risk of being punished but because those who do not respond are endangering their family and other people in the country. The Corona virus harms the sick and the weak. There is an element of solidarity and concern for the patient and the elderly. Of you to maintain public health. Not because we will knock you at the door but out of concern for the sick and weak. "

Sztakki emphasized: "We have a window of opportunity to take control of this disease. Those people who violate the insulation of the house help to infiltrate the disease and spread the disease in the country. I don't think there are many people willing to take it on their conscience."

Access to the Korean airplane area will not be allowed until take-off

Meanwhile, the plane from Korea will land at 7:30 p.m. This is a Korean airline plane that has about 200 foreign nationals and 12 Israelis. The aircraft will stand in a W1 parking area far enough in accordance with the instructions of Terminal 3. Only the Israeli passengers will be disembarked, who will pass passport inspections at the foot of the aircraft. It was also decided that the aircraft would stop sufficiently far from Terminal 3.

The aircraft will be parked in the area of ​​the Western Aircraft Plane in the field. A very limited number of Ben Gurion Airport employees will handle the aircraft. Passengers will be transported to MDA and escort ambulances straight to their home for a stay under the direction of the Ministry of Health. Passengers will remain on the plane. Immediately after refueling and boarding a flight, staying in Israel, it will take off back to Korea.

In addition, access to the aircraft area will not be allowed for those who have not been approved and the parking area until the aircraft is taken off from Israel. For travelers scheduled to depart for Korea at 10pm tonight, they will find alternative flights as soon as possible.

Remember, the group stayed in Israel from February 8 to 15. Anyone who comes in contact with tourists is required to enter the isolation. Among other things, 30 students from Beer Sheva and two teachers who were close to the tourists were instructed by the Ministry of Health to stay home from tomorrow until February 27. Another teacher underwent tests at Soroka Hospital, and was later released for isolation at his home in accordance with the instructions.

The published guidelines are relevant to anyone in contact with the group. That is, anyone who has been in close contact with the tourists, for at least 15 minutes, is obliged to enter a home isolation for 14 days. Beyond that, if you start to develop symptoms like fever over 38 or cough symptoms - seek medical help.