Britain takes in Ebola-infected health worker from Congo
The British worker was sent to Congo by a humanitarian group, and Congolese health authorities are tracing contacts and monitoring for further spread.
A British health care worker infected with Ebola in Congo was evacuated to Britain for specialist care, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday.
The worker was reportedly deployed to Congo by a humanitarian organization to help respond to an outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus.
Mohamed Janabi, the World Health Organization's regional director for Africa, said on X that Congolese and British authorities worked together very well to make the transfer safe.
Janabi praised health workers in Congo, saying their skill and caring treatment supported the patient before the transfer.
He said the patient is still receiving treatment in Britain, while Congolese health authorities remain on high alert.
Contact tracing, disease surveillance and other public health measures are continuing in Congo to monitor and contain any possible further transmission, Janabi said.
The WHO said it remains committed to helping national authorities protect public health, strengthen outbreak response and prevent the spread of disease.
The transfer is the latest of its kind, as Switzerland evacuated an Ebola patient from Nigeria last month for treatment.
France recorded its first imported case in June, involving a doctor who had returned from a humanitarian mission in Congo.
Government data show confirmed Ebola cases in Congo have passed 10,000, including more than 5,000 deaths since the outbreak began in May.
Ebola is a severe viral illness that spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people.
