On Wednesday, the Israel Health Ministry issued a “severe” warning against travel to the United Arab Emirates due to the rise of Covid-19 cases there. Currently, the Gulf state which signed the Abraham accords peace deal with Israel last year, and has been a favorite tourist destination for Israelis ever since, has been added to the list of countries which Israelis are advised not to visit due to COVID-19 outbreaks.

The list now includes the UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Seychelles, Ethiopia, Bolivia, Maldives, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica and Tunisia. Peru was recently removed from the list as the outbreaks have calmed down there.

A ministry statement said if there is not a “significant improvement” in morbidity figures in those countries, they could be added to another list of countries deemed “maximum risk” to which Israelis are barred from traveling. That list includes Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Russia.

The ministry noted quarantine requirements for travelers coming from those nations – including those vaccinated or who recovered from coronavirus – are in force until June 27 “and will be extended in accordance with the need in light of the morbidity levels in the various countries.” It also reiterated its recommendation against any non-essential travel abroad.

According to the latest figures from the Health Ministry, there were 28 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Israel on Tuesday, after an outbreak took place in a school in Modi’in in which 11 students were infected. Police are investigating whether the outbreak was caused by a man who violated quarantine after returning from abroad. The ministry also said that there are currently 231 active infections in the country, with 25 people in serious condition.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)