There are currently 1,600 Israelis in quarantine for coronavirus all across the country, stretching from Kiryat Shmona in the very north all the way down to Be'er Sheva in the south.
According to Health Ministry regulations, any Israeli returning from Japan, China, Kong Kong, Thailand or Macau must spend 14 days in isolation either at home or in a medical facility.
The same regulations apply to anyone who was in contact with the South Korean pilgrim group whose members tested positive for the virus after they returned from a recent sightseeing trip to Israel.
The city with the highest number of people in isolation is Tel Aviv with 102 cases, followed by Haifa with 97, Jerusalem with 77 and Rishon Lezion with 62. More than half of those in quarantine - 841 people - have returned from Thailand.
Among those quarantined is Health Ministry Deputy Director-General Prof. Itamar Grotto, who has been in isolation since returning from Japan, where he was visiting the four Israelis hospitalized for the virus.
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Healthcare professionals at Sheba Medical Center prepare for coronavirus patients
(Photo: Shmulik Davidpur)
"We at the Health Ministry are pleased at the cooperation of the population who have reported themselves to be in quarantine and invite those who have not done reported to do so via the Health Ministry website," Grotto said.
"On a personal note, I feel that I have many partners in this home quarantine and that I am not alone. We all hope to get through this safely and without developing symptoms of the disease so we can quickly get back to normal."
Meanwhile, the first Israeli treated successfully in Japan for coronavirus arrived Wednesday morning at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Rachel Biton, 74, was a passenger on the quarantined cruise ship docked in Japan and one of four Israelis on board who were found to have the virus. The three others are still hospitalized in Japan.
The other 11 Israelis on the ship returned to Israel after receiving an all-clear but two were later found to be infected.
"I could have stayed overnight in Tokyo," Biton said at the airport, where she was greeted by her relatives, "but I decided not to wait and to reunite with my family as soon possible."
She said that she underwent tests at Tokyo airport to make sure that she did not have a fever before boarding the plane.
With tears in her eyes at seeing her family, Biton said that "God willing, we will throw a huge party of thanks that all members of the family will attend."