An Israeli couple was arrested in Crete for trying to escape after testing positive for COVID-19 on Monday night, Greek news outlet Ekriti reported.
The husband tested positive for coronavirus during routine testing done at Heraklion International Airport. Both he and his wife were believed to be in close contact with a confirmed COVID case, according to Greek reports.
Greek airport authorities were notified of the couple attempting to enter their scheduled flight despite the positive COVID-19 test.
Police officers detained and handcuffed the couple and placed them at a quarantine hotel in Heraklion, Crete.
Greece is currently listed as an orange country by the Israeli Health Ministry, meaning Israeli tourists who were vaccinated twice can enter Greece without a negative COVID test.
Earlier in September, the Health Ministry made a decision to exempt Israelis who received the COVID-19 booster shot from isolation when returning from orange countries.
In June, former Tourism Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen met with her Greek counterpart at the annual conference for tourism in Athens and agreed on the price of coronavirus tests for Israelis returning from Greece, as well the type of tests to be used and accepted.