title: Preparing for imported Ebola cases in Israel, 2014 to 2015.
abstract: During the current outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa, preventing exportation of the disease posed many challenges for economically more developed countries. In Israel, although the risk of importing single cases was assumed to be low, the implications of local transmission were great. This article describes the EVD preparedness plan of the Israeli Ministry of Health. Key elements were a sensitive case definition, designation of a single treatment centre for suspected and confirmed cases, construction of a mobile unit using customised negative-pressure tents and a vigorous national training programme. There were no patients with EVD in Israel, but a few suspected cases were assessed. The Israeli plan may provide a template for emergency infectious disease response in other geographically small countries.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Management Team, Ministry of Health, Israel.
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brosh-Nissimov
authors.forename: Lion
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poles
authors.forename: Micha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kassirer
authors.forename: Roee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Ehud
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaliner
authors.forename: Dikla Dahan
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Shriki
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anis
authors.forename: Itay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fogel
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Engelhard
authors.forename: Itamar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grotto
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control; D029043:Ebolavirus; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel / Q000453:epidemiology; D062486:Public Health Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012308:Risk Management; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014195:Travel
keywords: Ebola virus; Epidemic management; infection control; isolation; outbreaks; public health policy