On December 29, 2014, the WHO was notified by the National IHR Focal Point for the United Kingdom of a laboratory-confirmed case of Ebola. This is the first Ebola case to be detected on United Kingdom soil. The case is a female healthcare worker who has returned from volunteering at an Ebola treatment center in Sierra Leone.
The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa. There were a small number of cases reported in Nigeria and a single case reported in Senegal; however, these cases are considered to be contained, with no further spread in these countries.
Two imported cases, including one death, and two locally acquired cases in healthcare workers have been reported in the United States. CDC and partners are taking precautions to prevent the further spread of Ebola within the United States. CDC is working with other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other domestic and international partners and has activated its Emergency Operations Center to help coordinate technical assistance and control activities with partners. CDC has also deployed teams of public health experts to West Africa and will continue to send experts to the affected countries.
For updates and additional information on Ebola, its symptoms, and prevention, visit the Center for Disease Control's Ebola resource page.