Israel’s Health Ministry has begun emergency preparations for a possible Ebola case in Israel, ordering the reconstruction of a dedicated isolation tent used in a previous outbreak. The ministry approved a no-bid contract with the company that originally built the tent, at a maximum cost of 513,654 shekels including VAT.
According to a document cited by Walla, the tent was first purchased in 2014 during an earlier Ebola outbreak, assembled at Rambam Medical Center, then dismantled and placed in emergency storage. The facility is a specialized isolation unit built on a platform with containment basins for contaminated liquids and hazardous materials, designed to prevent infection and spread.
The ministry said the current Ebola outbreak in Africa and concern for public health in Israel led it to prepare for the possibility of infected patients arriving in the country. The document says SYS, the original manufacturer, is the only company able to reassemble, inspect, repair and maintain the unit. A new tent is not feasible on the required timetable, and a comparable unit is estimated to cost about 1.3 million shekels.
SYS’s offer covers reassembly within two business days of approval, with the work expected to take up to 20 workdays. The scope includes restoring the floor, producing an external PVC cover and checking the chlorination system. The agreed assembly cost is 303,850 shekels including VAT, dismantling is priced at 38,586 shekels, and an additional option worth up to 171,218 shekels was approved for repairs, spare parts and extra components if needed.
The exemption committee said the decision was driven by the urgency created by the spread of the virus in African countries and the immediate risk to public health in Israel. The contract runs from June 20 to August 31, 2026. The move comes alongside public reassurance from the Health Ministry and infectious-disease experts that the two suspected Ebola cases tested negative and there is currently no confirmed case in Israel.
