Israelis violating quarantine could be jailed 7 years

By Mustafa Deveci and Esat Firat

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israelis violating a coronavirus quarantine could face up to seven years in prison, the Health Ministry said Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said around 50 people who had visited East Asian countries did not follow a 14-day quarantine procedure after their return.

Those who violate the self-quarantine in their homes out of negligence will be sentenced to three years, the statement said.

The ministry also called on Israelis to report those who are not following quarantine instructions.

On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry announced that foreigners who had visited Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong as well as Macao will not be allowed to enter the country.

The death toll in China from the novel coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, rose to more than 2,100 on Thursday.