Coronavirus cases in Israel climb to 97

By Mustafa Deveci

JERUSALEM (AA) - The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Israel has risen to 97, the Health Ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry also banned events of more than 100 people amid fears of widespread local transmission, according to guidelines on its website.

Israeli police also announced extra measures to curb the spread of the virus, including special teams to ensure that people in quarantine are following all guidelines.

On Tuesday, Israel announced the closure of the Allenby crossing, or King Hussein Bridge, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The bridge links the occupied West Bank and Jordan.

A day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a mandatory quarantine period of 14 days for people coming to Israel.

The coronavirus was first detected last December in Wuhan, China but has since spread to more than 105 countries.

The global death toll from the virus, officially known as COVID-19, is nearly 4,300 with more than 118,000 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization.