Jerusalem, Mar 17 (IANS): The Israeli government on Monday announced new restrictions across the country, including directing people to remain at home unless for urgent work and banning all public leisure activities, reports said.

According to the restrictions from the Health Ministry, people have been ordered not to leave their homes unless they need to get food or medication, seek medical attention, or carry out essential work, while trips to parks, playgrounds, beaches, pools and libraries have been forbidden, the BBC reported.

Meanwhile, the Magen David Adam - the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross - ambulance service has said it will set up a number of 24-hour "drive-through" facilities to help expand testing of people suspected of having the virus that causes Covid-19.

Overnight, an Israel Railways train was stopped by police searching for a male patient who fled from a hospital in northern Israel, according to local media. Police officers wearing protective gear boarded the train, arrested the man and took him to another hospital for examination.

Israel has so far reported 324 confirmed cases of Covid-19, but no related deaths. The Palestinian authorities have reported 41 cases in the occupied West Bank.