Israel imposes Passover inter-city travel ban

JERUSALEM: Israel will ban inter-city travel from Tuesday to Friday this week in order to forestall the spread of coronavirus during the Passover holidays, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

"There will be a lockdown between Tuesday from 4:00 pm until Friday at 7:00 am -- you must stay in your cities and villages," he said late Monday on television. He also said that on Wednesday evening, when the traditional Seder meal for Passover is to be held, only people living under the same roof will be permitted to interact.

"Every family must stay at home and nobody can leave their homes between 6:00 pm on Wednesday and 7:00 am on Thursday," the prime minister added. "The coming days will be decisive for the state of Israel," he said.

Coronavirus has so far killed 57 people in the Jewish state and infected more than 8,900, according to official figures. Cases in Israel are concentrated heavily in the ultra-Orthodox community where health restrictions have been slow to take root, with some refusing to accept the limitations.

Netanyahu on Friday gave the green light for soldiers to be deployed in the mostly ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, which is considered the centre of Israel's novel coronavirus outbreak.

In his address on Monday, the premier pointed to "positive signs of progress" in the fight against coronavirus. "We can envisage starting to come out of quarantine progressively after Passover, but it will depend on you," he told citizens.