Brazil Places Two Suspected Ebola Cases in Isolation Amid Congo Outbreak

Two patients who recently arrived in Brazil from African countries have been placed in isolation after exhibiting symptoms linked to Ebola, officials announced, though one later tested negative for the virus.

A 37‑year‑old man who had traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak has been concentrated, showed symptoms such as fever, meeting the definition of a suspected Ebola case, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement on Saturday.

The man was isolated at the Emilio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases in Sao Paulo.

He was diagnosed with a severe form of meningitis, and further tests were underway to screen for Ebola, officials added on Sunday.

Another man was isolated in Rio de Janeiro after arriving from Uganda on May 22 and displaying viral symptoms such as cough, chills, and diarrhea, local officials said.

The Rio City Hall informed AFP on Sunday that the individual tested positive for malaria, but the case remained under investigation. The Ministry of Health confirmed on Sunday that tests returned negative for Ebola, yet isolation continues until the investigation concludes.

The DRC has reported over 1,000 suspected Ebola cases since the outbreak was declared on May 15, with nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. Several infections and one death have been confirmed in neighboring Uganda.

The World Health Organization warns that the true extent of the outbreak in the DRC, which may have been circulating before detection, is likely much wider.

Despite the suspected case, the Sao Paulo government stated that the technical assessment indicates the risk of disease introduction into Brazil and South America remains very low.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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