British healthcare worker with Ebola evacuated from DR Congo to UK

A British healthcare worker who tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been evacuated to the UK for medical treatment.

"A British citizen currently in the DR Congo has tested positive for Ebola," a spokesperson for the UK government said in a statement on Wednesday. "The UK has well-established procedures for dealing with cases like this, and those processes have been activated … The risk to the UK public from Ebola remains low."

The patient, whose identity was not disclosed, was in stable condition and was expected to arrive in the UK on Wednesday or Thursday before being transferred in a specialist ambulance to a "high consequence" infectious disease unit, according to an official document seen by Reuters.

The worker was sent to DR Congo by a humanitarian organisation to support the response to the outbreak. It is the first case involving a British national contracting Ebola in the current outbreak.

The patient was transported to the Royal Free Hospital in London on 5 November 2026. The hospital has a high-level isolation unit for infectious diseases such as Ebola; other centres are in Newcastle and Liverpool.

"UKHSA and the NHS have well-established and robust infection prevention and control protocols to limit the risk of onward transmission," Dr Renu Bindra, deputy director for All Hazards Public Health Response at UK Health Security Agency, said in a statement, adding that "the risk to the wider public remains low."

Outbreak details

The current outbreak, declared on 15 May by DR Congo’s health ministry, has surpassed 10,000 cases, and 5,000 deaths. It is the second largest on record. It was caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved treatment, though vaccine trials are under way.

Since the outbreak started, it has spread to Kenya and Uganda in east Africa, while last month Nigeria confirmed a case in the capital, Abuja, after a woman who arrived from Uganda tested positive for the virus. She, along with a close contact, were evacuated to Switzerland for treatment.

Other patients who have been medically evacuated for specialised care since the start of the outbreak include two sent to Germany and one to the Netherlands. Another case was reported in France in July.

International response

The World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, wrote on X that Congolese authorities and the UK showed "exemplary cooperation in facilitating the safe medical evacuation of the patient with Ebola disease."

He hailed health workers in Congo, saying their professionalism, dedication and compassionate care supported the patient prior to the transfer.

"While the patient continues to receive treatment in the UK, DRC health authorities remain fully vigilant. Contact tracing, surveillance and other public health measures are ongoing to monitor and contain any potential risk of further transmission," said Janabi.

Why it matters

The evacuation highlights the international reach of the Ebola outbreak centred in DR Congo. Health officials stress that the risk to the UK public from imported Ebola cases remains low and that the NHS has procedures in place to manage suspected and confirmed infections. The case is the first involving a British national contracting Ebola in the current outbreak.

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Sources

• theguardian.com: British healthcare worker with Ebola evacuated from DR Congo to UK | Ebola | The Guardian
• aa.com.tr: British health care worker with Ebola evacuated from DR Congo to UK: World Health Organization
• upi.com: British doctor infected with Ebola in DRC evacuated to London - UPI.com
• lshtm.ac.uk: Rapid reaction: British healthcare worker with Ebola flown back to UK | LSHTM
• mymotherlode.com: British doctor who tested positive for Ebola in Congo is evacuated to London hospital - myMotherLode.com
• pulsetoday.co.uk: British healthcare worker being treated for Ebola in London hospital - Pulse Today

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.