A humanitarian worker is being monitored for the Ebola virus at a specialist hospital in London.
The UK resident was medically evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where they had been treating patients with the disease, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
They have been evacuated as a “highly precautionary measure”, the UKHSA added.
“The individual is not currently displaying any symptoms and remains well, but as a precautionary measure they have been evacuated on a flight chartered solely for the evacuation,” the agency said in a statement.
“They are now being assessed and monitored in isolation by infectious disease specialists at a London hospital.
“The incubation period of Ebola ranges from two to 21 days and the individual will be closely monitored and 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, 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.”
UK health specialists were deployed to the DRC to bolster the response against an ongoing Ebola outbreak in June. The experts from the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team included seven specialists from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. It is not known if the humanitarian worker being monitored in London was part of this group.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared an international "public health emergency" in the DRC in May this year.
Ebola disease is severe and often fatal in humans. It’s caused by different viruses and the current one which is causing an outbreak in DR Congo, the Bundibugyo virus, has no licensed vaccine or specific treatment.
