Patient With Ebola-Like Symptoms Hospitalised In Sofia, Officials Doubt Ebola VersionHealth | November 20, 2014, Thursday // 
A patient with symptoms, similar to those of Ebola, who recently returned from Sierra Leone, is hospitalised in Sofia's Military Hospital, Bulgaria's Health Ministry has confirmed.

According to the reports, seven other people who were in contact with the person are admitted for observation in the Tokuda hospital.

Medical officials however say analyses so far give them no ground to say his condition is caused by Ebola.

Focus agency claims, quoting own sources from the two hospitals, that the person who came back from the African country two days ago, came down with fever, sneezing and rhinitis and went to the Tokuda hospital.

According to the report, on Thursday afternoon the patient was moved to the Military Hospital where were taken blood and secretion samples. They were sent to licensed laboratories in Germany, the UK and the Tropical Diseases Institute in Marseille. The results are expected in 24 hours. Doctors however deny the information that the samples could have been taken anything out of Bulgaria. 

They also say results are to be expected early on Friday.

Later, Dr Mira Kozhuharova, national consultant on epidemiology of infectious diseases said that there is a person who is currently being tested, but the results are due to come out. "In order to diagnose Ebola, we need positive test results," she told the Focus Agency. "We don't have those yet. We only have suspicions, because the person came back from a country with Ebola cases."

In a media statement on Thursday evening, published on its website, the Health Ministry confirmed there is a case of a Bulgarian citizen with flu-like symptoms who returned recently from Sierra Leone.

“The patient was examined and evaluated as a case which must be subjected to clinical observation and additional laboratory tests,” the statement reads. “He is placed in isolation in Sofia's Military Hospital. In accordance with the protocols for action, recommended by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the health authorities took the necessary measures to isolate the persons who were in contact with the patient. Those measures will be in effect until the virology tests come out late this night. The Ministry will keep the public informed in a timely manner.”

Deputy Health Minister Vanyo Sharkov told the Bulgarian National Television it was not very likely for the man to have Ebola.

http://m.novinite.com/articles/164899/Patient+With+Ebola-Like+Symptoms+Hospitalised+In+Sofia,+Officials+Doubt+Ebola+Version

Good outcome of suspected Ebola case in Bulgaria doesn’t mean all measures weren’t taken: minister

21 November 2014

 

Sofia. “The fact the outcome is good does not mean all the [necessary] measures were not implemented,“ said Bulgarian Minister of Health Dr Petar Moskov, speaking at parliament in a comment on the recent suspected Ebola case in the country, FOCUS News Agency reported.
The news broke on Thursday evening an individual hospitalised in the capital Sofia displayed Ebola-like symptoms. The fears he could be really infected with the deadly disease were fuelled by the fact he had recently been to Sierra Leone, a country that is among those worst-hit by Ebola. The patient was first hospitalised at the Tokuda hospital and after his symptoms gave rise to suspicions this could be an Ebola case, he was transported to the Military Medical Academy. However, the Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported the initial clinical blood tests did not show the presence of a viral infection. The results are to be verified by accredited laboratories, it was also reported.
“In 11 hours since the beginning [of the case] and owing to all the actions of the state we solved the crisis. I would like to thank all the teams that worked so well during these 11 hours. It [the crisis] would have been prevented and overcome even if this had not been a case of such an infection. We have a situation in which an individual came to Bulgaria in good health; the healthcare authorities understood he had returned from Sierra Leone only at the time he sought aid from them,“ Moskovski said.
He specified the possibility of searching for these people and where they had been could not be actively pursued.
“What I will propose is an active information campaign. If there is a problem, it is connected with the information each citizen has. What is taking place now is deliveries of protective clothing and masks to the urgent medical aid centres, the infectious disease hospitals, the places that provide temporary sheltering, and others. The state and government will handle this crisis,“ he stressed.

 

http://www.focus-fen.net/news/2014/11/21/355049/good-outcome-of-suspected-ebola-case-in-bulgaria-doesnt-mean-all-measures-werent-taken-minister.html