British national tests positive for Ebola in DR Congo

A British national in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has tested positive for Ebola, the UK government has confirmed, as the country continues to face a major outbreak of the virus.

A government spokesperson said established procedures for handling cases had been activated and the risk to the UK public remained low. The Foreign Office did not confirm whether the patient would be brought to Britain for treatment.

Reuters, in a report republished by WSAU, said the patient is a healthcare worker and is being medically evacuated to the UK, citing an official document. The BBC said it had not seen that document.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported 10,532 confirmed cases and 5,126 related deaths in the DRC, based on data up to 1 November. The figures cover the outbreak as a whole, not the British patient’s individual risk.