JERUSALEM: Israel's Heath Ministry said Sunday that the country will refuse entry for non-Israeli travelers who have been in Japan or South Korea in the past 14 days, due to the spreading infections with the COVID-19 coronavirus there.

According to an official of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, the measure for Japan will come into force on Tuesday.

Eighteen South Koreans who recently visited Israel in a group tour have tested positive for the coronavirus after their return home, and Israeli authorities took the test results seriously.

About 200 non-Israeli people who arrived in Israel on Saturday from South Korea on a Korean Air plane were denied entry, according to local media.

One Israeli who returned home from Japan on Friday has been confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus. This individual took a small charter plane to return home after getting off the cruise ship Diamond Princess, quarantined in Japan over coronavirus infections.

Israel has already stopped the operations of direct flights from China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.

Between Japan and Israel, regular direct flights are scheduled to start in March. But the plan may be postponed due to the entry restrictions.

JIJI Press