Israeli Prime Minister Self-Quarantines After UAE Visit... Companion Tests Positive for COVID-19

"Infected Passenger Boards Flight... 3-Day Quarantine"
Omicron Variant Fear Spreads in Israel

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Naftali Bennett, the Prime Minister of Israel, who visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and returned home, has been classified as a contact case of a COVID-19 confirmed patient and entered self-quarantine. It is reported that he was placed under mandatory quarantine after one of the passengers on the return flight was confirmed to have COVID-19.

According to local media such as The Jerusalem Post on the 14th (local time), the entire delegation that visited Abu Dhabi, UAE with Prime Minister Bennett the day before entered mandatory self-quarantine for three days after returning home.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced, "Upon learning that an infected person was on the return flight, we contacted the Ministry of Health and entered quarantine according to the guidelines," adding, "The Prime Minister and all members of the delegation have been isolated in separate spaces, and PCR tests are scheduled for tomorrow."

News of Prime Minister Bennett's quarantine has increased fears of the Omicron variant in Israel. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health, 744 new confirmed cases were reported in Israel on the day, with 90 severe patients recorded.

Previously, Prime Minister Bennett officially visited the UAE, an Arab League country, for the first time as the Prime Minister of Israel. It is known that several visits were planned and postponed after the normalization of diplomatic relations through the Abraham Accords in September last year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.