Israeli said to break quarantine to fly abroad, then diagnosed with virus

An Israeli man exposed to a coronavirus patient, who took a flight abroad in violation of his quarantine, was diagnosed with the virus after he landed, according to a television report on Tuesday.

The man from northern Israel flew from Ben Gurion Airport overnight to Turkey, breaking strict rules requiring those who may have been exposed to the virus to self-isolate. He had taken a virus test before departing.

When Health Ministry officials contacted the man to inform him his test had come back positive, he told them he had left the country. The man claimed he felt no need to quarantine as he was not showing any symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the deadly virus, the report said.

There were some 190 other people on the flight with the infected passenger, and they will now all be required to self-quarantine.

According to the report, officials at Ben Gurion Airport did not receive any information warning them that the man was supposed to be in quarantine or waiting for a virus test result.

Israeli officials are set to inform Turkish authorities about the man’s circumstances and may have already done so, the report said.

It is not clear what his fate will be, as he may not be able to board a flight back to the country. Israeli sources said that when he returns, he is expected to face criminal proceedings and a NIS 5,000 ($1,400) fine for breaking quarantine.