A humanitarian worker is being assessed at a hospital in London “following a potential healthcare-related exposure to Ebola“, health officials have said. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the UK resident had been caring for Ebola patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The case comes as the country has been battling one of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks ever recorded since May, raising significant concerns among health authorities about the spread of the deadly virus. However, there are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola in the UK.
The UKHSA said that an evacuation was arranged “following a potential healthcare-related exposure to Ebola”.
It added: “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 incubation period of Ebola ranges from 2 to 21 days and the individual will be closely monitored and required to isolate throughout this period.”
Richard Pebody, Director of Epidemic and Emerging Infections at the UKHSA, said: “The risk to the general public remains low. This individual has been transferred out of an abundance of caution, and we’re pleased they remain well.”
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to worsen, with the number of confirmed Ebola cases rising to 2,423, including 967 deaths, according to government data released on Monday.
The epidemic is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, a less common form of Ebola for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned the virus is spreading more rapidly than containment efforts, highlighting the growing challenges facing health authorities trying to bring the outbreak under control.