Brit Dies in Macedonia, Authorities Suspect Ebola

Jovanka Kostovska from the Commission for Infective Diseases told reporters on Thursday evening that a British national died today in Skopje, possibly of Ebola.

She said that she could not confirm whether the person had died of Ebola, as the symptoms he had are also characteristic of other fatal illnesses.  It would thus not be able to confirm the cause of death before the results from Germany, which are expected in 48 hours.

Everyone that the authorities have information about that the person had been in contact with, have been put in isolation. Police have blocked entry to the hotel where the Brit was staying, as well as the entrance of the Infective Disease clinic.

According to a colleague of the deceased the man had not travelled in any Ebola hi risk country. According to official information he entered Macedonia on October 2 from the UK. In the past 3 days he had suffered from stomach aches and fever. He was in bed and did not leave his hotel for three days.

Today at 3pm an ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital. He died one and a half hour later. Doctors are now taking care of his colleague.

Top medical officials have said that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is unlike  anything seen since the emergence of HIV/Aids.

It started in Guinea and has since spread to other West African countries, sparking a panic about a worldwide epidemic.

The disease is untreatable and is transmitted by bodily fluids, with initial symptoms of fever, muscle ache, weakness and headaches, which can lead to complete failure of the internal organs and death.

About 90 per cent of those suffering from the virus are reported to have died. So far more than 3,860 people have died, mainly in West Africa....