Jerusalem, Jan 12 : The Israeli Health Ministry has announced in a statement the shortening of the required quarantine period for people tested positive for Covid-19. Nachman Ash, the Ministry's Director General, thus decided that the quarantine period would be shortened from 10 to seven days, under the condition that no symptoms appeared in the last three days of quarantine. In recent weeks, the Ministry has conducted culture tests among 80 Omicron patients, and found that the chance of growing a live virus after seven days of illness is only 6 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported. The Ministry noted that the new rule will take effect on Thursday. "We will not oblige quarantine beyond what is necessary, to maintain health, and also the economy, education and culture, keeping life routine as much as possible," said Israeli Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. /IANS