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, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
The individual was evacuated as a highly precautionary measure, according to the UKHSA. They are not currently displaying any symptoms and remain 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 said the incubation period of Ebola ranges from two to 21 days and the individual will be closely monitored and is 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, the director of epidemic and emerging infections at the UKHSA, said: This individual has been transferred out of an abundance of caution and we’re pleased they remain well. This incident comes after a patient suspected of having the Ebola virus at a Glasgow hospital tested negative last month. Precautionary measures were taken after the patient was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth University hospital.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an outbreak of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda in May a public health emergency of international concern. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people and with contaminated surfaces and materials such as bedding or clothing.
