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Ebola in Cote d'Ivoire (update 1): no evidence of infection found

02 Sep 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported there was no evidence of Ebola virus infection in the recently-declared outbreak in Cote d’Ivoire. Further tests in France indicated the only case did not have Ebola virus. WHO has now downgraded its outbreak response to this event.

Advice to travellers

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a type of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF). It is spread through contact with the blood, body fluids or organs of a person or animal with the infection.

The risk to travellers becoming infected or developing EVD is extremely low.

  • If you are travelling to a known Ebola outbreak area, you must be aware of the risk of infection and transmission routes of Ebola virus.
  • Medical personnel travelling to work in an outbreak region must follow strict infection prevention control guidance.

If you return home from an Ebola outbreak area, you should seek rapid medical attention by contacting NHS 24 (Scotland) or NHS 111 (rest of UK) for advice prior to attending UK medical facilities if you develop a high temperature (fever) and have:

  • returned to the UK within 21 days from a region or area with a known outbreak of EVD.
  • had contact with people infected with a VHF.

For further information see fitfortravel Viral Haemorrhagic Fever page.