Man hospitalised in Israel with suspected Ebola after Congo return

The Israeli Ministry of Health has announced that a man who recently returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo is being treated as a suspected Ebola case after developing a fever. Officials stressed that the diagnosis is currently only a possibility and remains unconfirmed. The patient has been placed in isolation at Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba. Health authorities are conducting tests, with results expected within 24 hours, while an epidemiological investigation is underway to trace potential contacts. The Ministry has advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, particularly to regions with active outbreaks. Those who must travel are urged to consult travel medicine clinics beforehand. Travellers returning from these countries are advised to monitor their health for 21 days. If they develop a fever or unusual symptoms, they are instructed to remain at home, avoid contact with others, and contact the Ministry’s emergency hotline at *5400. To date, Israel has recorded no confirmed cases of Ebola. Previous suspected cases in June and during the 2014 outbreak were all subsequently cleared. The World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recently called for an intensified response to the ongoing outbreak in the DRC. As of 7 August, the DRC had reported 4,209 confirmed cases and 1,916 deaths since the outbreak began in mid-May, with 828 recoveries. Uganda has reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths.