Yaakov Litzman
Yaakov LitzmanHezki Baruch

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman addressed the stricter instructions for dealing with the Coronavirus with which were issued Wednesday.

"We are in control of the situation and are doing everything that can be done. We don't know where this virus is coming from, so we are preparing for everything that could happen," Litzman said in an interview with Kan Bet.

He added: "If everyone had obeyed the Health Ministry's instructions from the beginning - we wouldn't have come to anything. The difference between the State of Israel and other countries is that we can tell everyone about the Coronavirus, where it appeared and when."

In response to criticism from the Foreign Ministry and the public about the Health Ministry's instructions, Litzman said, "The prime minister actually supported me. He kept saying that it was better to be more stringent than not ."

The minister also referred to the Prime Minister's statement that this is a worldwide epidemic "perhaps the most dangerous of the last century."

"He spoke the truth," Litzman said.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health issued the following guidelines.

1. Israelis returning from France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Austria will be charged with home isolation for 14 days, the decision being retroactive from the date of departure.

2. Foreigners from these countries will not be able to enter Israel, unless they can prove their ability to remain in isolation here for the required time. Implementation of this decision will take effect in the coming days.

3. Prohibition on holding international conferences in Israel.

4. Residents of Israel returning from international conferences abroad - will have to enter home isolation for 14 days.

5. Health care workers face a blanket ban on going abroad.

6. Mass gatherings and conferences of 5,000 or more people are prohibited.

7. Participation in gatherings of over 100 persons is prohibited for persons returning from any destination abroad in the last 14 days.

8. The Civil Service Commissioner to prohibit workers at Israeli ports from traveling abroad.

9. Recommendation for those aged 60 and over and those with chronic background illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disease or immunosuppression, to avoid crowds and contact with people returning from any destination abroad or with symptoms or people suspected of being ill.

10. Tourists staying in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon (in the last 14 days) will not be allowed to enter the country.

11. The Health Ministry recommends strict hygiene and avoiding handshakes.