Israel on Thursday reported that a mass outbreak of the Omicron variant of coronavirus was detected at a school in Jerusalem.
After routine testing at Tehilla-Evelina de Rothschild Secondary School, it emerged that 62 students and two staff members have contracted the Omicron variant. As a result, the school has been shot down and the students will switch to remote studies starting Friday.
The discovery of the outbreak in Jerusalem comes amid the government's ongoing efforts to halt the recent surge in Omicron cases across the country.
On Thursday, the country’s Constitution, Law and Justice announced the expansion of criteria for “red” countries to which travel is forbidden, adding that Germany, the U.S., Belgium, Portugal, Turkey, Hungary, Morocco and Canada are likely candidates to enter that list soon.
The committee's announcement came only a day after the government announced that the UAE, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Finland, France and Sweden have all been added to the country's no-fly list, which is being updated on a daily basis.
Health officials also said 10 Omicron cases have been found on two separate flights bound for Israel.
“We do not know if the infections happened during the flight itself or a day or two before,“ said Head of Public Health Services Headquarters at the Health Ministry Ilana Gens.
“[Though the flights] are a potential hotspot for infection, even with the constant airflow and the mask mandate,” she added.
The government has also recently imposed 3-7 day self-isolation orders for all Israelis returning from abroad, inoculated or otherwise.