Israeli Embassy in Greece shuts down due to coronavirus

By Magda Panoutsopoulou

ATHENS (AA) - Israel's Embassy in Athens announced Monday it is shutting its doors for two weeks in the wake of an employee testing positive for coronavirus.

“As a precaution and out of concern for public health, the Embassy of the State of Israel will reopen on 23 March 2020 following two weeks of voluntary closure since the discovery of an Embassy employee diagnosed with coronavirus," said an embassy statement. "The Ambassador and his diplomatic team will continue working from their homes.”

Eleven new cases have so far been reported in Greece, the Health Ministry announced on Monday, raising the total number to 84, including 81 Greek nationals.

Of the total 56 infected people are part of a group that was infected during a trip to Jerusalem. 47 of them contracted the virus during the trip and they infected 9 others after returning to Greece.

From the total of 84, 57 are under home quarantine, 27 are hospitalized, and one is in serious condition, the Health Ministry reported.