Re: Macedonia - British man suspected of contracting Ebola dies - "Had not been in any country known to have Ebola outbreaks"
Read from the bottom up if you want to read the posts in order by time.
Snips about the Brit, more of the story at the link below.
23.00
Public Health England has said it believes the death of a British man in Macedonia is "unlikely" to have been caused by Ebola, despite some similar symptoms.
Dr Brian McCloskey from the agency said: "Public Health England is aware there are unconfirmed reports of a British national dying in Macedonia, who may have exhibited some symptoms compatible with Ebola.
"We understand Ebola to be unlikely as the cause of death but are will continue to work with partners to investigate."
21.40 Sources in the Macedonian government say the British man who died in Skopje had hemorrhagic fever but likely not to be Ebola. A second man has been admitted to hospital, however neither have visited Africa recently.
20.46 A Public Health Center vehicle is parked in front of the Macedonia hotel where a 58-year-old man, reported to be British, was taken to hospital and died of severe internal bleeding from what may have been Ebola, in Skopje:
20.32 Further confusion has emerged over how - and more specifically, where - the 'Briton' who has reportedly died of Ebola in Macedonia may have contracted the virus.
"Initially we had information that he had been to Nigeria, but then his friend told us they hadn't been anywhere," Macedonian health ministry spokesman said Jovnaka Kostovska.
A government spokesman said later: "Medical authorities have informed us that up till now they cannot confirm whether the patient who died had Ebola. But as a precaution, based on the protocol of the World Health Organisation, medical authorities are taking all measures as if the patient had been suffering from a highly infectious disease."
20.10
An official has said tests will be carried out on the body of a British business traveler who died in Macedonia to see if he had the Ebola virus, AP reports.
Quote Jovanka Kostovska of the Health Ministry said
the unidentified 58-year-old died of severe internal bleeding on Thursday, shortly after being taken to a hospital in Skopje from his hotel.
The hotel was placed under quarantine until the test results are known in 48 hours.
Kostovska said there was no indication the man, who had been in Macedonia about a week, had recently been to Africa, but that protocol required the blood and tissue tests, which will be carried out in Germany.
In London, Britain's Foreign Office said officials are investigating reports that the man died of suspected Ebola.
19:11 More from Reuters on the British man with symptoms of the Ebola virus who has died in Macedonia:
Quote Authorities said they had sealed off a hotel where he stayed, keeping another Briton and hotel staff inside.
A Health Ministry official said
the man had arrived in the capital, Skopje, from Britain on Oct. 2 and had been rushed to hospital at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Thursday, where he died several hours later.
Dr. Jovanka Kostovska of the ministry's commission for infectious diseases said the man had been suffering from
fever, vomiting and internal bleeding, and that his condition deteriorated rapidly.
"These are all symptoms of Ebola, which raises suspicions with this patient," Kostovska told a news conference, adding that samples had been sent to Germany for tests to confirm the cause of death.
18:54 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."
18:53 The Telegraph's Harriet Alexander has the following update:
The attention seems to be focussed on a hotel in the Macedonian capital, Skopje.
Local media reported that the TC Mavrovka hotel was "blockaded by men
dressed in pressurised space-suits, and special medical vehicles checked all persons who were in contact with the person who allegedly died of Ebola."
It is still not clear at all whether the person who died had Ebola - and if they did, what nationality they were.
Some initial reports suggested the victim was British, but that was not confirmed. Other reports suggested the victim could have been Norwegian or Nigerian.
18:50 The Macedonia Health Ministry has confirmed the death of a British national, saying Ebola is "suspected" and that the victim travelled from Britain, reports Reuters.
18:37 Futher details from Reuters on the British man suspected of contracting the Ebola virus who has died in Macedonia. The report quotes a senior Macedonian government official:
Quote The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters a second Briton had also shown symptoms of the virus.
He said the two had been staying at a hotel in the capital Skopje and that hotel staff and the ambulance crew that took them in for treatment had been put into isolation.
The virus, which is spread through direct contact with body fluids from an infected person, has killed nearly 4,000 people in West Africa since March, in the largest outbreak on record.
18:11 If confirmed, this would be the first death of a UK national from Ebola, although British nurse Will Pooley was cured of the deadly virus last month.
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.
18:06 A second Briton had shown symptoms of the virus, the Macedonian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.
17:59 The Foreign Office is investigating reports that a British national has died in Macedonia of suspected Ebola. An FCO spokesman said: "We are aware of the reports and are urgently looking into them."
17:57 According to local reports from Macedonia, a man believed to be a British citizen died at the clinic of infectious disease in Skopje.
The doctors, according to the symptoms exhibited when the patient was admitted, believe he had Ebola. When admitted to the hospital, the patient was unable to communicate and died shortly afterwards.
Macedonian authorities are taking measures in compliance with WHO protocols, according to reports.
Ebola has yet to be confirmed by tests, however doctors agree his symptoms were nearly identical to other Ebola cases in the US and Spain.
17:51 A British man suspected of contracting Ebola has died in Macedonia, according to a senior Macedonian government official, reports Reuters.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/ebola/11152472/Briton-dies-of-Ebola-in-Macedonia-live.html
