Israeli medical delegation to fly to Italy, help contain COVID-19 spread

"Israel and Italy are allies that hold a deep connection and collaborate on many issues, so it's only natural that Israel will seek to help Italy in a time of need."

DECEMBER 1, 2020 11:52

Prof.Elhanan BarOn in the red outfit and the medical experts from Sheba who will head to Italy tomorrow night, Nov. 30, 2020. (photo credit: SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER) — Prof.Elhanan BarOn in the red outfit and the medical experts from Sheba who will head to Italy tomorrow night, Nov. 30, 2020.

(photo credit: SHEBA MEDICAL CENTER)

An Israeli delegation of 20 doctors and medical experts from the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan will fly to Italy on Tuesday in order to help contain the spread of coronavirus in the Piedmont District in the country's northern area.

The delegation was initiated by Israel's Ambassador to Rome, Dror Eydar.

In a letter dispatched by Foreign Ministry director-general Alon Ushpiz to Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy, Ushpiz explained that "the Governor of the Piedmont District in northern Italy approached Israel's Ambassador to Rome with an urgent request to provide the district assistance in combating the spread of coronavirus, due to a dramatic increase in the number of new infections and the lack of doctors and medical equipment in the area."

The letter indicated that Israel's embassy in Italy then connected between the Israeli and Italian health ministries, which coordinated the necessary operation and agreed on the required urgent needs of the Piedmont District. The ministries also agreed on the departure of an Israeli medical delegation that will provide assistance to local Italian experts.

It was agreed that the Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest hospital, would be responsible for choosing the doctors most appropriate for the mission. The delegation will be headed by Prof. Elhanan Bar On and will include some 20 doctors from different fields of expertise.

נקראנו לדגל, של איטליה!המרכז הרפואי שיבא התבקש ע"י משרד החוץ ומשרד הבריאות להוציא משלחת סיוע ישראלית לאומית ראשונה לצפון איטליה כחלק ממאבק בנגיף הקורונה, בעקבות עליית תחלואה משמעותית שם. משלחת של המרכז לרפואה במצבי חירום של שיבא בראשות פרופ' אלחנן בר-און, תצא מחר משיבא לאיטליה. pic.twitter.com/kyZnan234X
— Sheba Tel HaShomer City of Health (@SHEBA_) November 30, 2020

Ushpiz noted in his letter that "Israel and Italy are allies that hold a deep connection and collaborate on many issues, so it's only natural that Israel will seek to help Italy in a time of need," adding that "we're positive that Italy will cherish Israeli assistance in a time like this."

Ushpiz guaranteed that the Foreign Ministry and the Israeli embassy in Rome would provide any assistance required in order to execute "this important mission."

According to N13, more than 166,000 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in Piedmont since the pandemic broke out, leading to the death of more than 4,100 patients.

Italy has been dealing with its second wave of the virus since November, with the peak of new daily infections reaching about 40,000 a couple of weeks ago. While numbers have gone down since then, with 16,000 new infections diagnosed in the past 24 hours, the battered nation is still desperate for help.