JERUSALEM - Israel plans to use "anti-terrorism" tracking technology and a partial shutdown of its economy to minimise the risk of coronavirus transmission, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
Cyber monitoring would be deployed to locate people who have been in contact with those carrying the virus, subject to cabinet approval, Netanyahu told a news conference in Jerusalem on Saturday.
"We will very soon begin using technology ... digital means that we have been using in order to fight terrorism," Netanyahu said.
He said he had requested Justice Ministry approval because such measures could infringe patients' privacy.
In an escalation of precautionary measures, Netanyahu's government announced that shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and theatres will shut down from Sunday, and said employees should not go to their workplaces unless it was necessary.
However vital services, pharmacies, supermarkets and banks would continue to operate.
Health officials urged people to maintain social distancing. (Aljazeera)