A Scottish hospital was sealed off after a patient suspected of having Ebola was admitted following a recent return from an affected country.
The isolation was introduced at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Tuesday afternoon after the individual arrived and later developed symptoms consistent with the virus.
The patient had only just returned from an Ebola-affected country before attending hospital, prompting immediate precautionary measures while medical tests are carried out. The BBC reported on Wednesday that after the lockdown, health officials then confirmed the patient had tested negative for the disease.
Ebola is a rare but serious infectious disease caused by orthoebolaviruses. It can affect both humans and animals and spreads through close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.
The virus was first identified in 1976 during outbreaks in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, now South Sudan. Since then, there have been sporadic outbreaks, including the large West African epidemic between 2014 and 2016.
Although outbreaks continue to occur intermittently in parts of Africa, imported cases into the UK remain extremely rare.
The risk to the UK population is considered low, according to NHS published health guidance. While Ebola is a serious illness, it is not commonly seen in returning travellers.
UK health services have established procedures in place to isolate and treat any suspected cases, including specialist treatment centres designed to manage highly infectious diseases.
The UK Health Security Agency routinely monitors global disease outbreaks and continuously assesses any potential risk to the UK.
The World Health Organization may declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern when an outbreak requires coordinated international response and support, helping to mobilise funding and resources.
Ebola symptoms usually develop between two and 21 days after infection and can appear suddenly. Early signs are often similar to flu.
Common symptoms include:
In more severe cases, patients may experience:
Ebola spreads through close contact with an infected person who is showing symptoms, or through exposure to infected bodily fluids.
Importantly, the virus is not transmitted during the incubation period before symptoms appear. In rare cases, transmission can also occur through contact with infected animals such as bats or non-human primates in affected regions.
Ebola is a rare but potentially fatal disease, with past outbreaks showing case fatality rates ranging from around 25% to 90%, depending on the outbreak and healthcare response.
Public health agencies continue to advise that the overall risk to the UK remains low, particularly due to strict monitoring systems and rapid response protocols.
The NHS also has designated isolation facilities and specialist teams prepared to manage any confirmed cases safely.
Further tests are expected to confirm whether the patient is infected with Ebola or another illness.
