Israel Investigates Suspected Ebola Case in Traveler From Congo

Israel's Ministry of Health is investigating a suspected case of Ebola in an individual who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The patient developed a fever several days after arriving back in Israel. Ministry officials emphasized that this is currently only a suspicion and that laboratory test results are expected within the coming days. The patient will be isolated in accordance with protocols for highly infectious diseases and transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem, designated as a specialized facility for such cases.

The Ministry of Health has conducted an epidemiological investigation to identify individuals who may have had contact with the patient. Those not contacted by the ministry are not required to take any special measures. The ministry reiterated that the Ebola virus is not airborne and is transmitted through direct contact with an infected person's blood, bodily fluids, or secretions, only when symptoms are present.

Israel's healthcare system has been on heightened alert since the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, with hospitals and medical teams receiving instructions, personal protective equipment prepared, and mechanisms established for early detection of travelers from affected areas and laboratory diagnostics. The ministry advises against non-essential travel to active outbreak zones, particularly the DRC. Individuals returning from Congo who develop a fever or unusual symptoms within 21 days of their trip are urged to stay home, avoid contact with others, and call the ministry's hotline at *5400, immediately reporting their travel to an Ebola-affected region. There are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola in Israel.