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Two new suspected Ebola cases in Austria

The Local Austria
The Local Austria - [email protected]
Two new suspected Ebola cases in Austria
Ebola virus. Photo: Centers for Disease Control/Cynthia Goldsmith

Two Nigerians in Upper Austria who recently returned from Lagos on August 13 have been placed into quarantine on Tuesday while medical officials test them for the possibility of the deadly Ebola virus.

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The two Nigerians returned from Lagos recently, and experienced fever and other symptoms that triggered medical officials to immediately place them into quarantine, while samples of their blood were sent to Hamburg for urgent evaluation.

Officials are working to identify all persons whom they came into contact with after their arrival.

Blood tests have been sent to Hamburg's Bernhard-Nocht Institute, with results expected soon.

The governor of upper Austria Josef Pühringer said that all arrangements had been made so that there would be no further transmission of contagion, if it turns out that they have the deadly virus.

"The risk that the two are actually suffering from Ebola is, however, classified by doctors as not very high," reassured the Governor. 

The Nigerians traveled via Dubai and arrived at Vienna's Schwechat airport.  On Tuesday they were taken to the isolation ward of the regional hospital in Vöcklabruck. 
 
The appropriate procedures were followed after consultation with the Ministry of Health. A nurse practitioner, to whom the Nigerians had turned, had contacted the district medical officer. They then carried out a risk assessment in accordance with applicable national and international guidelines. 
 
Then both patients were transported to the regional hospital in Vöcklabruck using the Infection Transport of the Red Cross, where they have subsequently been housed in a isolation room. 
 
A previously suspected case of ebola, in which the British Nigerian patient died, was confirmed as not being due to Ebola after test results were received on Monday.  Authorities in that case are still unclear as to the cause of death.
 
A Spanish man who recently returned from Sierra Leone turned out to not have the virus.
 
A further case of suspected Ebola in Germany also turned out to be negative.

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