A health alert was issued in the northen Lombardy region after two suspected cases of Ebola were detected in the Como province in Italy. The cases involved a man from Bulgarograsso and a woman from Lurate Caccivio, who had returned from Uganda during the weekend with other members of their families, after spending three months in the country doing humanitarian work.
The suspected patients were hospitalised in isolation at the Sacco Hospital in Milan, after an onset of symptoms associated with haemorrgagic fever.
The woman’s condition was considered to be serious, as she had developed a very high fever along with some neurological symtpoms. This led the doctors to investigate the possibility of cerebral malaria. Meanwhile, the man’s symptoms were less severe, suffering from a moderate fever and intestinal issues.
Tests were conducted under national and international protocols and eventually came back negative for the Ebola virus.
Lombardy’s regional welfare minister Guido Bertolaso held a press conference before the results were declared, criticising the premature circulation of images and statements about the case. He said that the procedures were precautionary measures required by international health protocols. He also accused public communications of triggering fear among the population before any official confirmation.
Italy’s Health Ministry released an official statement, assuring the public that the risk of Ebola in the country “remains very low”. It also confirmed that the national system for preparedness and response to infectious emergencies was fully operational.
The Health Ministry also said it was monitoring the condition of other members of the two families who had returned from Uganda with the suspected patients.
While the epicentre of the current Ebola outbreak is in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, there have been cases recorded in the bordering nation of Uganda, with around seven cases verified by Kampala officials as of Monday.
