Newsroom
The director of Sheba Medical Center says the coronavirus epidemic in Israel is under control, adding he is confident that Cyprus was on its way to beat the virus as well.
“Because of the steps taken, to control the spread of the coronavirus, we flattened the curve,” said Arnon Afek, director general at Israel's Sheba Medical Center.
Afek appeared on Sigmalive in a televised interview on Monday, saying the Covid-19 epidemic in Israel was under control.
“The number of patients who are now being infected by the virus has decreased to the point that it is less than one,” Afek said.
'The number of patients who are now being infected by the virus has decreased to the point that it is less than one'
Afek attributed Israel’s success against the coronavirus to several steps taken early on at hospitals as well as conducting experiments with new drugs in accordance with Institutional Review Board guidelines.
The director also praised the innovation capabilities of Israel, saying shortage challenges in ventilators were quickly met by young physicians and members of the military who invented a new ventilation machine by using non-invasive equipment to turn them into retrofitted respirators.
Sheba Medical Center was the first health facility in Israel where a coronavirus infection was confirmed, after a group of Israeli tourists flew on a private jet back home after being quarantined on the Princess Diamond Cruise ship off the coast of Japan.
The flight later landed in Cyprus where the flight attendant was the first person to have been placed under quarantine on the island as a “high risk” case.
Afek said patients were being quarantined in isolation at Sheba Medical Center away from the main hospital campus without risking the safety of staff and other patients.
Reports also said Sheba applied telemedicine technology to remotely monitor and treat patients with coronavirus COVID-19.
Cypriots are a very courageous people
Sheba’s director also said he hoped collaboration in the medical sector between Israel and Cyprus would continue in the future, after it was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Afek said Cypriots were a very courageous people and remained confident Cyprus would beat the virus.
“You are very courageous people. The same way you have been fighting in the past all the different threats to your beautiful country, I’m sure you that you will overcome this disease as well,” he said.
