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Thirteen Americans suspected of being exposed to the coronavirus during a trip to the Holy Land are in quarantine near Bethlehem with armed guards stationed outside their hotel.
Chris Bell, 42, lead pastor of the 3 Circle Church in Fairhope, Alabama, traveled to Israel with 12 others in his faith community on Monday after being told that the country was not under any immediate risk from the coronavirus.
Bell says he now regrets embarking on what was going to be the ‘trip of a lifetime’ after the group was called back to the Angel Hotel in Beit Jala near Bethlehem and placed into quarantine.
A Greek man who previously stayed at the hotel was diagnosed with the coronavirus and there are now more than 40 members of staff and visitors trapped under an armed guard inside the building until they complete their 14 days of quarantine.
Bell is calling on the United States government to intervene and fly the group home to continue the remainder of their quarantine, saying ‘we need to get home’.
No member of the group is showing symptoms and their test results are expected Saturday.
‘Even if we need to be quarantined, we’re hoping that the United States, our own country, will possibly fly us home,’ Bell said in a video chat with Reuters from the second floor of the Angel Hotel.
‘And if they need to quarantine us there for a time we understand that. But, you know, we need to get home.’
The group arrived in Israel on Monday and spent several days exploring before checking out of their hotel on Thursday with the intention of traveling on to Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River and Petra.
Authorities quickly summoned them back after four hotel workers tested positive and they were placed in quarantine and tested Friday. The workers were tested after a Greek tourist who stayed in the hotel between February 23 and 29 was diagnosed.
The group expects to be given their results over the weekend and are then hoping to make their way home with the aid of the U.S. government.
‘The level of frustration is really not with an individual or a person, but it’s kind of the overall situation that it’s hard to get information, so it’s been very hard to get clear information, so there’s been far more questions than there has been answers,’ Bell told Fox.
‘All we need are prayers and a clear bill of health.’
Source: Daily Mail
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