Jerusalem, Jul 9 (AP) The Israeli military says its chief of staff, Lt Gen Aviv Kochavi, has gone into quarantine after possible exposure to the coronavirus.

In a statement Thursday, the army says Kochavi was in the presence of an officer last week who later tested positive for the virus. Israel has been grappling in recent weeks with a surge in coronavirus cases.

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The announcement means that both Israel's military chief and its defense minister, Benny Gantz, are in isolation. Gantz, who is also Israel's “alternate prime minister,” announced Wednesday that he was going into quarantine after possible exposure to the virus.

The army says Kochavi feels healthy but will be tested. He plans to maintain his regular schedule “whenever possible” while in isolation. Kochavi previously went into protective quarantine in March after attending a meeting with someone who was infected. (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)