British citizen tests positive for Ebola in DR Congo as outbreak rages in Africa
The fatality rate of the Ebola Bundibugyo strain is around 49 per cent
TL;DR
- A British citizen tested positive for Ebola after contracting it in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- The infected individual has been evacuated to the UK for specialist treatment and is in a stable condition.
- The UK government has emphasized that the risk to the public from Ebola remains low.
- The outbreak in the DRC has led to over 10,500 confirmed cases and 5,100 deaths.
- The Bundibugyo strain of the virus, causing the current outbreak, has a fatality rate of approximately 49 percent.
- Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids.
- Early symptoms resemble malaria or influenza, making swift identification challenging.
- Several other Europeans have also contracted the virus recently, with cases reported in Switzerland and France.