President Peres. Not worried
Photo: AP
Taglit youth in Israel (Archive)
Photo: Sivan Farag
Taglit-Birthright visit prompts swine flu scare
President Peres, 15 other Presidential Residence employees tested for virus following meeting last week with Jewish youths, some of whom were later diagnosed with swine flu
An urgent letter from the Health Ministry arrived at the office of the Presidential Residence's director general this week, instructing her to launch emergency procedures at the house for fear the president or some of the employees have been infected with swine flu.
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Several days later it became evident that some of the 5,000 teens taking part in the program in Israel have contracted swine flu. Twenty participants of the Taglit-Birthright trip and 18 of the soldiers have been diagnosed with the virus.
The announcement caused a substantial scare at the Presidential Residence, and the director general was ordered to compile a list of the people who have been in contact with the teens. This list included the president himself, as well as about 15 other employees.
However, the tests revealed that neither the president nor any of the employees contacted the virus.
President Peres seemed to have taken the matter lightly. "I can't believe I was infected," he said Tuesday. "I also don't regret meeting with the lovely Taglit kids. It's not their fault they got sick and I believe everybody will be okay."
On Tuesday, 21 new cases of swine flu were diagnosed in Israel, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 152.
Noam Barkan contributed to the report
