Health Ministry Deputy Director-General Professor Itamar Grotto spoke Tuesday with 103FM Radio about the new coronavirus and his own self-quarantine.
Professor Grotto, who recently returned from Japan, clarified: “We know that the coronavirus has been around for thousands of years, and every so often it transfers from animals to humans, in some fashion.”
“You start getting used to it, this is how it is right now,” he said, noting that he is on his third day of quarantine. “I stay only in my bedroom or study. I have a separate bathroom and shower and when I leave one of those areas of the house – I have someone at home who is like part of the family – I put on a mask.”
Prof. Grotto was scheduled to finish his quarantine this weekend, but “coincidentally I was on the flight with the Koreans who were on their way to Japan” and therefore an extra week was added. He also said that he does not fear the virus, because he was “in very protected contact with them, with maximum protection.”
He also said that according to the statistics he has, over 1,400 Israelis have been ordered to self-quarantine after returning from affected countries.
“I assume that there are many who did not report, maybe 2,000. You need to fill out a form to report it – I also did that.”
“The difficulty is obvious, this isn’t pleasant,” he added.
Israel has 2 cases of corona virus from 2 passengers of the cruise ship the diamond princess. They were evacuated from the cruise ship as negative off the cost of japan. They they later tested positive on returning to israel