Aid worker with Ebola evacuated from the DRC to Netherlands
An aid worker infected with Ebola has been evacuated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and admitted to a hospital in the Netherlands, according to health officials. The patient is a staff member of Doctors Without Borders who had been working on the outbreak response.
Leiden University Medical Center, in the western Dutch city of Leiden, confirmed at 10 p.m. local time Thursday that the patient had arrived and been admitted to its high-level isolation unit.
The patient fell ill while working in the DRC and was brought to the Netherlands on a special flight, the hospital said. Precautionary measures were applied during the transport, and treatment is taking place in strict isolation.
Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French abbreviation MSF, said its staff member tested positive for Bundibugyo virus disease. The evacuation was coordinated with health authorities in Congo and the Netherlands under a strict medical protocol.
The hospital said its specialized isolation facilities are equipped to treat serious infectious diseases, with protective equipment available for staff and regular drills conducted to prepare for such admissions.
MSF declined to disclose specific details about the evacuation, citing medical confidentiality and its colleague’s privacy. Details about the patient’s condition were not released.
“Despite providing its staff with training and the highest possible levels of protection, MSF recognises that the risk of exposure can never be completely eliminated,” the organization said.
The outbreak is the largest Ebola disease outbreak ever recorded in the DRC. More than 8,000 confirmed cases and 4,000 deaths had been reported since May, with the true toll likely higher because of gaps in surveillance and case detection.
A WBC24 tally recorded a total of 8,224 confirmed cases, 3,982 deaths and 2,121 recoveries in Congo. It also listed 20 cases in Uganda, including two deaths and 18 recoveries, and one patient in France who has recovered.
Across those three countries, the tally recorded 8,245 confirmed cases, 3,984 deaths and 2,140 recoveries.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
