British man tests positive for Ebola in Congo

A British man has tested positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the UK government said.

The man was confirmed to have the virus while he was in the DRC. Reuters reported that he will be evacuated to the UK for specialized treatment. The exact timing of the evacuation is not clear yet.

This is the first time a British national has been confirmed to have contracted the virus during the current outbreak in the DRC, which has taken more than 5,000 lives.

Ebola is a viral disease. It can cause serious illness and mainly spreads through direct contact with the blood or other fluids of an infected person.

Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, weakness, and diarrhoea.

“A UK government spokesperson said, “The UK has well-established procedures for dealing with cases like this, and those processes have been activated.”

“Further information will be shared in due course as appropriate. The risk to the UK public from Ebola remains low.”

Current Ebola outbreak

The current outbreak is due to the Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola virus. It was first declared in the DRC in May 2026.

According to the latest figures from the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak has seen 10,563 confirmed cases and 5,130 deaths across five countries as of 1 November 2026.

The DRC has most of the cases, with 10,532 confirmed cases and 5,126 deaths. The outbreak has affected eight provinces in the country.

Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases and two deaths. Uganda has 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, along with one probable case and one probable death.

Nigeria confirmed its first case on 20 October after a traveller with a history of travel to Uganda tested positive for the virus. The patient was later evacuated to Switzerland for treatment.