Saudi being tested for Ebola dies in Jeddah

Man suspected of contracing Ebola virus during business trip to Sierra Leone dies at specialised hospital in Saudi city.

The country's health ministry said it was monitoring people the dead man came in contact with [AFP]

A Saudi man suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus during a recent business trip to Sierra Leone has died in Jeddah.

“A Saudi man suspected of being infected with the Ebola virus passed away at 8:45am on Wednesday at a specialised hospital in Jeddah”, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on its website on Wednesday. 

The statement added that the Ministry of Health had submitted samples from the man to a US laboratory recommended by the World Health Organisation, as well as an accredited laboratory in Germany, for testing.

The ministry said it was working to trace the man’s route of travel and monitoring people he came in contact with.

The kingdom has suspended pilgrimage visas from West African countries to counter the further possible spread of the disease.

World Bank funds

The World Bank said on Monday that it would provide up to $200m in emergency assistance to Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone to help the West African nations contain the deadly outbreak which has killed 887 since the outbreak began in March this year.

With a death rate of up to 90 percent, Ebola is described as “one of the world’s deadliest diseases” by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The Ebola virus disease is a viral haemorrhagic fever that has killed more than 1,600 people since it was first discovered in Africa in the 1970s.

The current outbreak in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone is the largest in history. There is no vaccine or cure available for the disease.


Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies