The Rio Grande do Sul state health department is investigating a suspected Ebola infection in a 64-year-old man who returned from Uganda. The patient tested positive for malaria and remains under observation in Porto Alegre.
The man sought care at a health unit in Novo Hamburgo. Given the clinical presentation and travel history, authorities activated the national protocol for suspected Ebola cases.
The patient was transferred to Grupo Hospitalar Conceição in Porto Alegre. Samples were sent to Fiocruz for laboratory analysis, which will determine if the Ebola diagnosis can be ruled out.
The state health department notified the Ministry of Health and began monitoring the patient’s contacts for 30 days. The state government stated that malaria is, so far, the main diagnosis identified.
