Ontario Resident Being Tested for Ebola After Travel to East Africa, Health Ministry Says

An Ontario resident who recently travelled to East Africa, where there is an ongoing Ebola outbreak, is being tested for the disease “out of an abundance of caution,” the province’s health ministry said.

It did not say when the person returned to Canada or whether they were experiencing symptoms, but said testing is being conducted as a precaution based on travel history.

“Out of an abundance of caution, clinicians are testing the patient for a range of possible infectious diseases, including Ebola virus, given their recent travel history, in accordance with established clinical protocols,” the ministry said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Ebola disease is a rare but severe illness that spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, or contaminated objects. It is not airborne. People are generally not contagious until symptoms begin.

The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days after exposure. Early symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, severe headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and, in some cases, internal or external bleeding. The WHO notes that early symptoms can resemble other illnesses, making laboratory testing essential, and says contact tracing and infection control are critical to preventing spread.

The current outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no specific licensed treatments or vaccines, according to the WHO.

This marks Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River. The WHO says the country has developed extensive experience responding to outbreaks, with trained personnel and established surveillance systems. Most outbreaks in the region have involved the Zaire ebolavirus strain, the most common and often most severe type, although outbreaks with other strains, including Sudan ebolavirus, have occurred in Uganda and Sudan.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says there have been no reported cases of Ebola disease in Canada.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.