United Kingdom Evacuates Ebola-Infected Medic From DR Congo

A British medical worker who tested positive for Ebola while working on the outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has been flown to the United Kingdom for specialist treatment.

The UK government confirmed the development on Thursday, stating that the unnamed medic had returned to the country after testing positive for the deadly virus.

The patient is currently receiving treatment at the Royal Free Hospital in London, which has a high-level isolation unit specifically designed to manage infectious diseases.

The government said strict safety measures had been put in place to prevent contact between the patient and members of the public.

Renu Bindra, Deputy Director of the UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) All Hazards Public Health Response Team, said the risk to the wider public remained low.

The development comes amid a major Ebola outbreak in Africa, which has claimed more than 5,300 lives, with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for the majority of the deaths, according to the continent’s leading health agency.

Meanwhile, Nigeria reported an Ebola case last month involving a 42-year-old Swiss woman whose husband works at the country’s embassy.

The woman was subsequently flown to Geneva, Switzerland, for treatment.