Nigerian traveling via UAE shows Ebola signs

ABU DHABI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A 35-year-old Nigerian woman who was traveling from Nigeria to India for cancer treatment has died in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after showing symptoms similar to those of the lethal Ebola virus, Abu Dhabi's health authority said on Sunday, according to UAE's state news agency WAM.

During her transit phase at Abu Dhabi international airport, the patient's health dramatically deteriorated and despite prompt medical assistance she could not be successfully resuscitated, the authority said in a statement, adding that the woman she had shown signs "that may be consistent with Ebola virus infection," although her existing medical condition provided an adequate medical explanation.

"Full safety and precautionary measures have been taken by the medical staff who attended the patient according to the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for dealing with suspected cases of infectious diseases," the statement said.

All contacts of the patient, including her husband who was the only person sitting next to her on the plane and five medical professionals who treated her, are in isolation pending the result of Ebola testing on the patient. Those people are, as of now, all well and have showed no symptoms, the authority said.

The ministry's statement comes amid a growing international scare as the Ebola outbreak continues to spread following a slow response from the international community to aid affected West African countries. Governments and airlines are now carefully screening passengers from the afflicted countries, with some even banning travel to the West African states.

"There is no risk to the community" or other passengers on the plane from Nigeria, the UAE authority said, adding there was no reason for the general public in the UAE to panic.

Earlier in the month, Dubai's state-owned carrier Emirates Airline, the biggest airline in the Middle East, canceled flights to Guinea amid Ebola concerns until further notice. Abu Dhabi- based Etihad Airways continues to fly directly to the Nigerian capital Lagos.

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