Israel: More than 12,000 soldiers quarantined over 'possible coronavirus infections'

Israeli police check vehicles at a checkpoint near Tel Aviv, on 3 April 2020 during the novel coronavirus pandemic crisis. [JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images]

The Israeli army yesterday said that more than 12,000 soldiers have been quarantined, fearing “possible infection of the novel coronavirus”.

In an official statement, the military pointed out that “568 soldiers have contracted the virus since February.”

Infection rates among Israeli soldiers were reported to have increased significantly since the beginning of June as Israel was hit by a second wave of the disease.

The Israeli Health Ministry recently said that a total of 38,670 Israelis had contracted the virus, 362 of whom had died.

COVID-19 has infected over 13 million people globally and claimed over 570,000 lives across 188 countries since it came to light in China in December. The virus was labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

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