A UK-based humanitarian worker has been admitted to a specialist London hospital for observation following potential exposure to Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The individual was evacuated from the DRC, where an active outbreak of the disease is currently affecting the region, according to the UK Health Security Agency.
The worker was transported on a specially chartered flight as a precautionary measure and is currently isolated at the London facility under the care of infectious disease specialists. Officials from the UKHSA emphasised that the person is not currently showing any symptoms and remains in good health, though monitoring will continue throughout the incubation period, which can last between two and 21 days.
The agency has stated that there are no confirmed Ebola cases in the UK and that the risk to the general public remains minimal. An outbreak declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization began in May, affecting both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The virus spreads through direct contact with infected individuals’ bodily fluids or contaminated materials.
Originally reported by Theguardian →
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