British doctor with Ebola returns to UK for specialist care
A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working in DR Congo has returned to the UK for specialist treatment, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed on 5 November.
A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while working in DR Congo has returned to the UK for specialist treatment, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed on 5 November.
The patient is being treated in the Royal Free Hospital’s high-level isolation unit in London. The government said the medical evacuation followed established infection-control procedures. UKHSA said the risk to the wider public remains low.
Ebola does not spread through the air. It can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of a person with symptoms; specialist isolation and protective equipment reduce transmission risks.
The UK government worked with the DRC government and international health partners to bring the patient home on a medical evacuation flight. The Royal Free unit has strict isolation protocols to keep the patient away from the public, and all staff wear personal protective equipment. Dr Renu Bindra of the UK Health Security Agency said robust infection prevention and control protocols limit the risk of onward transmission.