Another suspected Ebola patient in Israel: a man who returned from Congo developed symptoms

After the Ministry of Health announced on Friday the first suspicion of an Ebola patient in Israel (a man who returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and developed a fever and headache), it now turns out that there is a suspicion of another case. This morning (Sunday) the ministry updates about another person, who returned from the Congo two days ago, and sought medical treatment after developing a fever, headache and diarrhea.

At this stage it is only a suspicion, and the person is being treated in isolation conditions according to the procedures established for high-risk infectious diseases. He was transferred to the Sheba Medical Center, which was designated as one of the designated centers for receiving suspicious cases of this type. At the same time, the Ministry of Health is completing an epidemiological investigation to examine a possible connection between the two cases and to locate relevant contacts.

This morning we published in Mako Health that according to a source privy to the details, the likelihood that the first suspect is indeed ill with Ebola is low. The results of the tests in his case are expected to be received in the coming days.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that as of now not a single confirmed case of Ebola has been diagnosed in Israel. In order to clarify the suspicion, a sequence of laboratory tests is being carried out, the results of which are expected to be received in the coming days. They also mentioned that Ebola is not an airborne disease, and infection occurs through direct contact with a sick person with symptoms or with blood, body fluids and secretions.

The health system has been preparing in recent months following the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. As part of the preparations, instructions were distributed to the hospitals, the equipping of protective equipment was completed, early detection mechanisms were established for travelers from infected areas and a system was trained for laboratory diagnosis of the disease.