Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu enters quarantines after COVID-19 contact

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has self-quarantined after coming into contact with a person who tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his office said.

"Following an epidemiological inquiry, the Prime Minister will enter isolation until Friday after meeting with a verified coronavirus patient," Xinhua news agency quoted the office as saying in a statement on Monday.

Netanyahu underwent a Covid-19 test on Sunday and Monday and was found negative, the office added.

This is the third time the 71-year-old Prime Minister has entered a quarantine after coming into contact with people diagnosed positive for the virus. In April, he had to enter isolation twice in the same week after being exposed to Covid-19 patients.

Israel has reported a resurgence of the virus outbreak, with a total of 358,293 diagnosed cases and 3,003 deaths, according to figures issued by the Health Ministry.