1st June, 2026 | News

Suspected Ebola Case in Scotland Tests Negative, Health Officials Confirm

A patient who was being tested for a suspected case of Ebola at a hospital in Scotland has returned a negative result, easing concerns over a possible outbreak.

The patient was admitted to the acute receiving unit of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow during the early hours of Tuesday, prompting the implementation of standard infection prevention and control measures. A section of the hospital was also partially closed as a precaution while tests were carried out.

Late Tuesday, Public Health Scotland confirmed that the patient had tested negative for the virus.

“There are currently no confirmed cases of Ebola in Scotland and the risk to the general public remains low,” the agency said in a statement.

Health officials noted that established protocols are in place for assessing and testing travellers arriving in the United Kingdom from countries affected by Ebola.

The reassurance comes amid ongoing Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda. According to health authorities, nearly 700 confirmed cases of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus have been recorded, with the majority occurring in the DRC. At least 138 deaths have been reported, including two in Uganda, while one case has also been identified in France.

Public Health Scotland said it is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to monitor travel routes from affected countries and ensure any suspected cases are promptly identified and managed.

The agency added that contact tracing and precautionary testing would be conducted where necessary. It also confirmed that the UKHSA’s Returning Workers Scheme has been activated to monitor the health of personnel travelling to Ebola-affected regions as part of their work.

Officials stressed that infectious diseases do not respect international borders, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration with global health partners to contain the outbreak.

The United Kingdom has pledged up to £21 million to support Ebola response efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including assistance for frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable communities. UK public health specialists have also been deployed to support the World Health Organization’s response in the region.