Cuban doctor contracts Ebola in Sierra Leone

Havana, Nov 19 (IANS/EFE) A Cuban doctor, part of the country's medical team that is fighting the Ebola disease in Sierra Leone, has been infected by the virus and will be flown to Geneva, Switzerland, to be treated, Cuban officials said.

Felix Baez Sarria, an internal medicine specialist, is part of the Henry Reeve International Contingent of Doctors that has been working in Sierra Leone since early October.

According to the Cuban health ministry, on Nov 16 Baez, who had attended Ebola patients, came down with a high fever without showing any other symptoms of the disease.

He was then moved to the treatment centre in Kerry town set up for UN officials where Cuban professionals also work.

A diagnostic test was conducted Monday which was positive for Ebola.

Baez is being cared for by British doctors experienced in treating Ebola patients and they are in constant contact with Cuban medical specialists, the ministry said in a statement.

He will be transferred to the University Hospital of Geneva as recommended by the World Health Organization, which is a centre specialising in the treatment and management of highly infectious diseases.

The patient is currently without complications and hemodynamically stable, the ministry said.

Cuba has sent three brigades of health specialists, including doctors and nurses, to West African countries hit by the Ebola epidemic.

The first group, comprising 165 health workers travelled in early October to Sierra Leone, and 83 more health workers were sent Oct 21 to Liberia and Guinea Conakry.

--IANS/EFE

ab/vt