JERUSALEM (CNS): On March 6, CNN reported that the Israeli authorities and the Palestinian Authority had closed down Bethlehem and the towns around it, while a state of emergency had been declared on the West Bank.
Meanwhile, on February 24, CNS reported that after Israel reported that 18 people from a recent South Korean tour group were infected with Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), Wadie Abunassar, a spokesperson for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said officials were concerned how the diagnosis would affect Lenten and Easter pilgrimages.
Israel has banned all flights from South Korea and Japan and said it would be arranging a special flight for the approximately 1,000 South Koreans currently in Israel who are waiting to return home.
The director general of the Israeli Health Ministry also told Israel Radio they were monitoring the situation in Italy, which has reported the largest number of cases of the virus in Europe. All Israelis returning from South Korea have also been asked to self-quarantine for 14-days, along with Israelis returning from Thailand, China, Japan, Singapore and Macau.
“Israel’s decision of whom to allow and whom not to allow in is a big challenge to many pilgrims, but of course we do understand the reasons,” Abunassar said, adding, “We are concerned this will affect pilgrims who are intending to visit us now or in the near future and for sure for the upcoming Easter season.”
Abunassar went on to say that the Church is advising people to follow instructions from the health ministry and to be cautious, but not to spread rumours.
“It is a big challenge, and we pray we will overcome it very soon with the minimal possible casualties,” he said.
“We have carried out checks (following reports) on the South Korean pilgrims and let our churches know (about the situation). We found that, so far, there is no evidence that they had contact with this specific Korean group mentioned,” Abunassar said.
“Still, there is great difficulty in monitoring things, because the vast majority of pilgrims who are visiting our churches don’t necessarily coordinate things with us,” he said.
Abunassar said that, according to an initial inquiry conducted by the patriarchate, no church workers came into contact with the now-infected South Korean pilgrims, who visited from February 8 to 15. Both the Israeli and Palestinian health ministries have asked any of their citizens who may have come into contact with the group to voluntarily go into self-quarantine for 14-days.
Both ministries have also put out public awareness announcements of proper procedure and behavior if someone suspects they may have symptoms of the virus and how to take necessary precautions against infection, while at the same time cautioning against any panic.
Abunassar said churches in the Holy Land were “running business as usual.”
He said, “So far no church, either in Palestine or in Israel, was asked to … close its doors or to stop receiving pilgrims.”
Father David Steffy, vice director of Our Lady of Peace Chapel in the Pontifical Institute Notre Dame of Jerusalem Centre, said, “What we try to do is follow what the bishop (says) and then what in general is being accepted or not accepted behaviour as a church,” he said.
He said, “We all need to be very aware of how we are feeling in so far as our health … and be respectful even more so now.” He added that the centre put out hand sanitiser for guests and noted that some wore surgical masks.
As of March 9, 109,045 cases had been confirmed from across 100 nations—25 in Israel, with 3,818 deaths, mostly in mainland China. However, 62,176 people have recovered.
