By Sohaib Shams
A British national in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola, the UK government confirmed on Wednesday. Officials said the risk to the public remains low and established procedures have been activated.
First UK case in current outbreak
This is the first confirmed case of a UK national contracting the virus during the ongoing outbreak in DR Congo, which has caused more than 5,000 deaths since it began in May. The Foreign Office did not confirm whether the patient would be repatriated, though Reuters reported the individual is a healthcare worker who would be flown to the UK for treatment.
Government response
A UK government spokesperson stated that well-established procedures for such cases have been activated and further information will be shared in due course. Imported Ebola cases are extremely rare in the UK, with only four confirmed cases historically, none resulting in death.
Outbreak scale and challenges
The current outbreak has recorded over 10,000 confirmed cases, making it the second deadliest on record and the deadliest in DR Congo's history, with a fatality rate of 48.6% reported last month. The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo variant, for which no approved vaccine exists. Cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda.
