The Health Ministry announced it received a report of a suspected Ebola case after a person returned several days ago from the Democratic Republic of Congo and developed a fever. The ministry emphasized this is only a suspected case at this stage, and test results are expected in the coming days.
The individual will be treated in isolation according to protocols established for handling high-risk infectious diseases and will be transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, designated as one of the specialized centers for receiving such suspected cases. A series of laboratory tests will be conducted to investigate the suspicion.
The Health Ministry said it has completed an epidemiological investigation to identify relevant contacts. Anyone who does not receive outreach from the ministry is not required to take any action at this stage.
The ministry reminds the public that Ebola is not airborne, and transmission occurs through direct contact with a symptomatic sick person or with blood, bodily fluids, and secretions. The ministry also emphasized that no confirmed case of Ebola has been diagnosed in Israel.
In recent months, the Health Ministry has been monitoring developments since the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As part of preparedness efforts, guidelines were distributed to medical teams and hospitals, procurement of protective equipment and specialized gear was completed, and early detection mechanisms and a laboratory system for identifying Ebola illness were established.
The ministry is calling on the public to avoid non-essential travel to areas with active Ebola illness, primarily the Democratic Republic of Congo. Travelers who returned from the country and develop fever or unusual symptoms within 21 days of their stay there are asked to remain at home, avoid contact with others, and contact the Kol Habriut hotline by phone at 5400, while updating about their stay in an affected area.