Coronavirus: Israel closes borders with Syria, Lebanon

By AbdelRaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) - Israel has decided to close its borders with Syria and Lebanon amid rising fears of a coronavirus outbreak, the country’s state media reported on Friday.

According to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, the Israeli army decided to close the Quneitra crossing on the Syrian border and the Ras Naqura crossing on the border with Lebanon.

The Quneitra crossing is used by the Druze community for work and study purposes, and also for the export of agricultural products. It is also a point of passage for UN forces in the area.

The Ras Naqura crossing is designated for the transit of UN forces.

The Israeli Health Ministry has so far confirmed 17 COVID-19 cases in the country, according to local news outlet Haaretz.

Another newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, reported that 150 staff members of Israel's El Al Airlines staff have placed themselves under quarantine.

The new coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, last December and has now spread to more than 80 countries.

The global death toll is nearing 3,500, with more than 95,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO, which had declared the outbreak an international health emergency, recently updated the global risk level to “very high”.

*Bassel Ibrahim contributed to this report from Ankara