Israeli who recovered in Japan develops coronavirus again

Four new cases were discovered on Friday alone, including the first case of transmission on Israeli soil.

Buses believed to carry the U.S. passengers of the cruise ship Diamond Princess, where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus, leave at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo (photo credit: REUTERS)
Buses believed to carry the U.S. passengers of the cruise ship Diamond Princess, where dozens of passengers were tested positive for coronavirus, leave at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, south of Tokyo
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Friday saw a worrisome spike in Israeli coronavirus cases, as four more citizens were diagnosed with the novel coronavirus in Israel, the Health Ministry reported.
Shimon Dahan returned from quarantine in Japan after having having been presumed to be "recovered", following his infection with the virus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship and subsequent quarantine in Tokyo.
The man flew home to Israel after he was released from quarantine and is the third to be diagnosed as having the virus among the passengers who were brought back from the beleagered cruise ship.
Dahan's sister, Rachel Biton, who was the first to be released from quarantine in Japan, was sent home to Israel on Tuesday after recovering from the virus.
A spokesperson for the family says they are not currently responding to the issue, as they are still waiting to receive answers to the many questions that came as a result of the report.
"If there is anything to say about the matter, you will be notified after the Sabbath."
Dahan flew home to Israel on two commercial flights, both with Turkish Airlines: flight TK53 from Tokyo via Istanbul, and flight TK784 from Istanbul to Tel Aviv, which landed in Israel at 8:55.
All passengers who were on either flight must enter a home quarantine immediately for the next 14 days and report to the Health Ministry.
After being diagnosed, Dahan was transferred to be quarantined at Sheba Medical Center, along with the remaining healthy Diamond Princess passengers.
Later on Friday, two men from northern Israel were also diagnosed with coronavirus after returning from separate trips to Italy, according to the ministry, making them the sixth and seventh Israeli citizens to be infected so far.
The sixth Israeli to be diagnosed is in his forties, and lives in Kibbutz Kabri. After returning from Italy on February 22 he was tested and found not to have the disease.
But on Thursday evening, he began feeling unwell. On Friday, he became the sixth Israeli to test positive for coronavirus and was transferred to be quarantined at Haifa's Rambam Hospital.
According to the epidemiological inquiry done on the sixth victim, his route included four public places in Israel where he could have infected others:
1. Flight #AZ810, which departed Italy on February 21 and landed in Israel on Saturday, February 22 at 3:00 a.m.
2. Also on Saturday: the Aroma Israel branch at Paz gas station near the Pancake House on Route 2 at 6:30 a.m. for 30 minutes.
3. Appliance stores in Sheikh Danon and a shoe store ("Mahsaney Zol Post") in Kiryat Ata between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.
4. On Sunday February 23: "Hummus Parliament" and Paz station in Nahariya from 11:30 a.m to 12:00 p.m.
 
The seventh Israeli returned on February 24 and is currently being transferred to be quarantined at Sheba Medical Center.
An epidemiological inquiry is being conducted into that victim's full itinerary and will be published soon, according the Health Ministry.
Earlier on Friday, the second case of coronavirus to be diagnosed within Israel, and the first case of transmission within the country, was discovered to be the wife of Meir Cohen, the first coronavirus victim that was diagnosed here, who had begun developing symptoms after a visit to Milan.
In an interview with Channel 12 News on Friday evening, Cohen said that his fever had stabilized and that the symptoms of the virus had begun receding.
The couple have also both been transferred to Sheba Medical Center for quarantine. Their two children remain under home quarantine and are currently being tested for the disease.
The Health Ministry released a list tracking the recent movements of the first victim, and warned anyone who had been within two meters of him for longer than 15 minutes to immediately be quarantined in their home and report to the ministry online via its coronavirus site.