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Ebola: 'British national dies of deadly virus in Macedonia' Ebola: 'British man dies of deadly virus in Macedonia and one other taken ill'
(35 minutes later)
UK officials are investigating reports that a British national has died of a disease believed to be Ebola in Macedonia. Officials were urgently investigating reports last night that a British citizen has died of Ebola in Macedonia and another has contracted the disease.
The patient was admitted to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Skopje showing symptoms associated with Ebola and died shortly afterwards. Tests to confirm the disease have yet to be completed. The Macedonian Health Ministry said the Britons had travelled to the country from the UK, raising fears that they might already have passed it on to friends or family.
The UK Foreign Office (FCO) are now looking into the reports from a senior Macedonian government official. The patients had been staying at a hotel in Skopje when they were taken ill and one of them, a man, died soon after being admitted to the city’s Clinic for Infectious Diseases, according to a Macedonian government official.
A second Briton had shown symptoms of the virus, the official told Reuters on a condition of anonymity. Hotel staff and the ambulance crew that took them to the clinic were put into isolation as the authorities tried to prevent the disease spreading. Tests to confirm the illness is Ebola have yet to be completed.
“We are aware of the reports and are urgently looking into them," an FCO spokesman said. A spokesman from the Macedonian Foreign Ministry said: "I can confirm that a British person has died and he is in the state hospital in Skopje.
"We are looking to see what are the reasons according to the protocols of the World Health Organisation."
In the UK a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are aware of reports and we are looking into them urgently.”
If confirmed, the person would be the first UK national to die from the deadly virus, after British nurse Will Pooley was cured of Ebola last month.If confirmed, the person would be the first UK national to die from the deadly virus, after British nurse Will Pooley was cured of Ebola last month.
The reports came as Downing Street announced that enhanced screening for Ebola will be introduced at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports and Eurostar terminals following advice from the Chief Medical Officer. The news came as Downing Street said enhanced screening for Ebola will be introduced at Heathrow and Gatwick Airports and Eurostar terminals following advice from the Chief Medical Officer.
It was unclear last night whether the British national was living in Macedonia or had recently travelled there from one of the African countries battling the outbreak of the disease.
Two months ago the Macedonian authorities announced they had introduced prevention measures at all airports. Passengers with ebola-like symptoms were to be immediately isolated and taken to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases.Two months ago the Macedonian authorities announced they had introduced prevention measures at all airports. Passengers with ebola-like symptoms were to be immediately isolated and taken to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases.
Macedonian airports commenced all necessary prevention measures confronting possible suspicious cases of Ebola on Wednesday, according to Macedonian Commission for Infectious Diseases, according to Dr Jovanka Kostovska, of the Commission for Infectious Diseases at the Ministry of Health. Dr Jovanka Kostovska, of the Commission for Infectious Diseases at the Ministry of Health, said in August that “all necessary” preventative measures were being taken at airports.
The World Health Organisation was last night unable to confirm whether anyone has contracted or died of Ebola in Macedonia.