Health Ministry Reports Second Suspected Ebola Case After Congo Return

Israel’s Health Ministry said a second person is suspected of having Ebola after returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The announcement, published on June 21, 2026, said the ministry is still investigating the case and has not confirmed any infection in Israel.

According to the ministry, epidemiological tracing is being completed to identify relevant contacts and to examine possible links between the cases. Once the review is finished, people deemed relevant will be contacted proactively based on risk assessment. Those who do not receive a call from the ministry are not required to take any action at this stage.

The ministry stressed that Ebola is not spread through the air, but by direct contact with a symptomatic patient or with blood, body fluids, or secretions. It said the suspicion is being checked through a series of laboratory tests, following medical protocols used in Israel and abroad.

In recent months, as Ebola outbreaks have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the ministry has monitored developments and prepared the health system for any scenario. It said it has issued guidance to medical teams and hospitals, stocked protective gear and special equipment, set up early-detection mechanisms for returning travelers from affected areas, and established a lab system for Ebola diagnosis.

The ministry urged the public to avoid nonessential travel to areas with active Ebola transmission, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Travelers who return from those areas, particularly from active outbreak zones, and develop fever or unusual symptoms within 21 days should stay home, avoid contact with others, and call the Health Ministry hotline at *5400, making sure to say they were in an Ebola-affected area. The ministry said there are currently only two suspected cases and no confirmed Ebola case in Israel.