A humanitarian worker is being monitored at a specialist hospital in London after potential exposure to the Ebola virus. The UK resident was medically evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where the worker had been treating patients with the disease, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Precautionary Evacuation and Monitoring
UKHSA described the evacuation as a “highly precautionary measure,” stating: “The individual is not currently displaying any symptoms and remains well, but as a precautionary measure they have been evacuated on a flight chartered solely for the evacuation. They are now being assessed and monitored in isolation by infectious disease specialists at a London hospital.” The agency noted the incubation period for Ebola ranges from two to 21 days, and the individual will be closely monitored and required to isolate throughout this period.
There are no confirmed cases of Ebola in the UK, and the risk to the general public remains low. Richard Pebody, director of epidemic and emerging infections at UKHSA, commented: “This individual has been transferred out of an abundance of caution and we’re pleased they remain well.”
Background on Ebola Outbreak and Previous Cases
Last month, a patient suspected of having the Ebola virus at a Glasgow hospital tested negative after precautionary measures were taken at the Queen Elizabeth University hospital. An outbreak of the disease in the DRC and Uganda in May was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The virus is primarily transmitted to people from wild animals and then spreads among humans through direct contact with infected blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids, as well as contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding or clothing. According to WHO, symptoms include fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rash, and impaired kidney and liver function.
