Government ministers are furious at Health Minister Yaakov Litzman after he was confirmed to have the coronavirus, Channel 12 news reports, accusing him of having “knowingly shown contempt” for his own ministry’s guidelines by failing to follow the rules on social distancing.

Litzman tested positive for the virus late Wednesday, a development that has required most of the Israeli leadership handling the pandemic crisis to go into quarantine. He has denied allegations that he broke the rules against group prayer aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.

The TV report quotes an unnamed senior minister accusing Litzman of having “put all of our lives in danger.”

“He knowingly demonstrated contempt for the rules and did not maintain social distancing,” the minister is quoted saying.

“We’re all taking the greatest possible care [to follow the guidelines] in these days. And yet the health minister, of all people, doesn’t recognize the gravity of the situation, endangers us all, ultimately harming decision-making,” the minister reportedly adds.

The report also cites senior ministers saying the Health Ministry is not providing sufficient details on Litzman’s case.

“They’re hiding the epidemiological investigation regarding him from us,” the ministers are reported to say.

Litzman, 71, is currently participating in a cabinet meeting via videoconference from his home. He and his wife, who is also infected, are said to be doing well.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 70, and Litzman are in a relatively high-risk group for the virus because of their age. Netanyahu had just emerged from precautionary quarantine on Wednesday when forced back into isolation.

Litzman has participated in numerous consultations and appearances with Netanyahu and health chiefs in recent days and weeks. He also came to the Knesset last Thursday for a vote on the Knesset speaker — and there is concern that may have exposed fellow MKs to the virus even though the vote was held with no more than 10 people in the plenum.

Litzman was also interviewed on Channel 12 recently, sitting in the studio alongside former Histadrut trade union chief Ofer Eini and Channel 12’s resident medical expert, the former Health Ministry chief Prof Gabi Barabash. Both have gone into quarantine.