Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia (Update)

04 Apr 2016

The media have reported on one further case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Liberia. The new case is the child of the woman recently confirmed with EVD in Liberia. The woman is said to have visited her husband in Guinea where he died from EVD; she and her three children then returned to Liberia.

Forty six contacts of the woman are under observation and four individuals are in the Ebola Treatment Unit, those being the sister and three children of the first case.

Advice for Travellers

The risk of travellers becoming infected or developing Ebola haemorrhagic fever is extremely low, unless there has been direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of dead or living infected persons or animals. Healthcare workers are at particular risk, although practising appropriate infection control should effectively prevent transmission of disease in this setting.

Travellers returning from tropical countries should always seek rapid medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, diarrhoea or general malaise) within three weeks after return, and be reminded to mention to their health care provider that they have recently travelled.