Health Ministry Yaakov Litzman says “Israel is prepared to deal with the coronavirus,” while touring the ministry’s central lab at Sheba Medical Center outside Tel Aviv.
Israel has not yet had any confirmed cases, but officials believe it is only a matter of time before the outbreak comes ashore.
Yaakov Litzman visiting a Health Ministry lab at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv on February 4, 2020. (Courtesy Health Ministry)
Dr. David Heymann, who led the World Health Organization’s response to the 2002-03 SARS outbreak, says it’s too early to tell when the new coronavirus will peak, but that it appears the disease is still on the increase.
Heyman says the spike in China’s caseload in recent days was partly attributable to the fact that Chinese officials expanded their search to include milder cases, not only people with pneumonia.
Heymann declines to predict whether the virus would ultimately cause a pandemic, or worldwide outbreak. According to WHO, a pandemic requires sustained transmission of a disease in at least two world regions.
— with AP
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