Suspected Ebola Case Reported in Israel for Fifth Time This Year
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A traveler returning from Congo is suspected of having Ebola in Israel.
- This is the fifth suspected case in Israel this year.
- The patient is isolated at Sheba Medical Center for testing.
- Previous suspected cases in 2024 have all tested negative.
- Ebola is not airborne, transmitted by direct contact.
- The public is advised to avoid travel to affected areas.
Israel's Ministry of Health announced Sunday the case of an individual suspected of having Ebola, who developed a fever after returning to Israel from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ministry emphasized that this is currently only a suspicion, and all necessary investigations and tests are expected to be completed on Sunday. No confirmed cases of Ebola have been diagnosed in Israel to date. The patient was transferred under strict protocols to the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, designated as a center for handling such suspected cases. The individual is being treated in isolation according to procedures for high-risk infectious diseases.
Concurrently, the Ministry of Health will conduct an epidemiological investigation to identify relevant contacts. Those not directly contacted by the ministry are not required to take any action at this stage. The investigation will involve a series of laboratory tests according to established medical protocols. The Ministry of Health sought to reassure the public, noting that Ebola is not airborne but transmitted through direct contact with a symptomatic patient or their blood, bodily fluids, and excretions.
This marks the fifth suspected Ebola case in Israel this year. All four previous cases in 2024 involved citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo who developed symptoms, including high fever. In June, two cases were examined and hospitalized in isolation at Rambam and Sheba hospitals. In August and September, two more cases were examined at Soroka and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals. Emergency protocols were activated in all four instances, but subsequent laboratory results were negative, and the suspicion was dismissed.
The Ministry of Health is maintaining ongoing monitoring and preparedness in light of the Ebola outbreak in Africa, including issuing guidelines to medical teams, equipping staff with protective gear, and operating early detection and rapid testing mechanisms. The public is advised to avoid non-essential travel to affected areas. Individuals returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo who develop symptoms within 21 days are urged to self-isolate at home and contact the "Kol HaBriut" hotline at *5400.
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