First confirmed Ebola case in United Kingdom

On 29 December 2014, WHO was notified by the International Health Regulations national focal point for the United Kingdom of a laboratory-confirmed case of Ebola virus disease (EVD). This is the first EVD case to be detected on United Kingdom soil.

The case is a female healthcare worker who has returned from volunteering at an Ebola treatment centre in Sierra Leone. The patient flew from Freetown to London via Casablanca, Morocco, before reaching Glasgow on 28 December. She was admitted to hospital and placed in strict isolation on the morning of 29 December. Currently, the patient, who has been transferred from Glasgow to London for treatment, is in a stable condition and remains in isolation.

The WHO Regional Office for Europe is in contact with the United Kingdom public health authorities, which are taking care of the patient and investigating all possible contacts during the flight legs. The Regional Office is ready to assist further as needed.