British doctor infected with Ebola in Congo evacuated to London

A British doctor who tested positive for Ebola while assisting the response to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has returned to the United Kingdom for treatment. UPI, The Guardian, and BBC News reported that the patient arrived on a medical evacuation flight. BBC News noted that the man landed at RAF Northolt before being taken to the hospital in a large emergency vehicle convoy. [1][3][4]

The patient, whose identity has not been released, is receiving care in a high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London. According to UPI, the Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that the unit is specialized and specifically designed for isolation. The department stated that the risk to the public remains low, BBC News reported. [1][3][4]

Dr. Renu Bindra, deputy director at the UK Health Security Agency, stated that health authorities have robust infection prevention and control protocols to limit the risk of onward transmission, according to UPI. BBC News reported that this is the first confirmed case of a United Kingdom national contracting Ebola during the recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [1][4]

The 2026 Ebola epidemic is an outbreak of Ebola virus disease primarily affecting the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries. Initial cases were reported on 14 May 2026 in Ituri Province, making it the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [12]