Israel says cruise passenger flown home from Japan has virus

One of 11 Israelis who were flown home after being quarantined on a cruise ship in Japan has tested positive for COVID-19 virus, first case to be reported inside Israel, Health Ministry said Friday.

Israeli cruise ship passengers, who h all initially tested negative, arrived on a charter plane overnight. y were met by medics in protection suits and immediately taken to Sheba Hospital near Tel Aviv, where y will be kept in quarantine.

Ar four Israelis were hospitalized in Japan after testing positive for virus.

COVID-19 virus has infected more than 76,000 people in 27 countries and caused more than 2,200 deaths since it was first reported in China’s Hubei province in December.

Diamond Princess ship docked at a Yokohama port has most COVID-19 cases outside of China, with 634 confirmed by late Thursday. Two former passengers have died.

Dozens of foreign passengers were flown back to ir home countries on flights chartered by ir governments.

Israel has cancelled all flights to and from China, and is requiring Israelis returning from China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore or Thailand to be quarantined at home for two weeks.

(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)