Ebola Defense Exercise Held Today
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

An Ebola defense exercise was held earlier today (Friday, 17 October 2014);
participants included Ben-Gurion International Airport units, the Health
Ministry, MDA, the Interior Ministry Population and Migration Authority and
the Israel Police.

The exercise included locating passengers arriving from countries at high
risk of Ebola, holding them in isolation, preliminary medical treatment and
evacuation to – and treatment at – Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel
Hashomer.

According to Health Ministry guidelines, passengers who were in countries in
which Ebola is spreading, over the past three weeks and who have fevers over
38 degrees Celsius, must be evacuated to an isolation clinic and from there
to hospital.

The exercise was held in continuation of discussions held by Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu in recent weeks (including a telephone consultation last
night; click here also) in order to prepare for the spread of Ebola around
the world.

Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed the National Security Council – in
conjunction with the Health Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Transportation and
Road Safety Ministry, Interior Ministry Population and Migration Authority,
the Airports Authority and other agencies – to lead staff work on the
nation's readiness to deal with Ebola.