Israel Isolates Patient Suspected of Ebola After Congo Return

An individual who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo is being treated in isolation in Jerusalem with suspected Ebola, the Ministry of Health announced Thursday. The patient developed a fever after arriving back in Israel several days ago. The individual has been transferred to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, designated to handle such cases, and will undergo necessary medical evaluations and tests. Test results are expected within the coming days.

The Ministry of Health has completed an epidemiological investigation to identify potential contacts. Those not contacted by the ministry are not required to take any action at this time. The ministry emphasized that Ebola is not airborne and is transmitted through direct contact with an infected person's blood, bodily fluids, or secretions. No confirmed Ebola cases have been diagnosed in Israel to date.

This follows a similar suspected case in mid-August of an individual returning from Congo who developed symptoms; however, those tests came back negative. The Ministry of Health has been monitoring the Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which has surpassed 6,000 confirmed infections and 2,911 deaths, making it the largest in Congo's history. The ministry advises against non-essential travel to active Ebola zones, including the DRC, and urges travelers returning from affected areas who develop fever or unusual symptoms within 21 days to isolate themselves and contact the Health Ministry's hotline.