Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young has tonight confirmed tests taken from a Gold Coast man suspected of having Ebola virus disease have returned a negative result.
This follows reports of a 27-year-old man that was brought by ambulance to the Gold Coast University Hospital with an acute illness having recently traveled to the Congo, having returned from the Congo on the 28th August.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing an Ebola outbreak different from the outbreak in West Africa.
“I would like to thank all health and ambulance staff involved in the management of this patient; it was a job well done and serves to show the community that our emergency preparedness plans are sound, and that they can rely on their health services,” Dr Young said.
“I also thank the media for helping to allay the fears and hype in the community – it was a very important message for us to convey.”
Dr Young said while it was highly unlikely Ebola virus disease would come to Queensland, anyone who has travelled to parts of West Africa affected by the outbreak and who are concerned about their health, should visit their GP.
Dr Young said the treating team at the Gold Coast University Hospital would ultimately determine the patient’s treatment options based on the results and his current condition. For more infectious disease news and information, visit and “like” the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
