Rwanda tests possible Ebola case: Health ministry

Rwanda has placed a German student with Ebola-like symptoms in isolation, and was waiting for test results checking for the deadly tropical disease, the health ministry said.

"Samples from the suspected case have been sent for testing to an international accredited laboratory for approval, results will be available in 48 hours," the health ministry said in a statement late yesterday.

The patient is the first to be tested in Rwanda since the outbreak in west Africa.

Minister of Health Agnes Binagwaho said the patient was a German medical student, who had recently spent time in Liberia.

He had a fever and malaria but for "100% security" Rwanda had quarantined him, until test results -- expected within two days -- were back, she said.

Ebola has claimed nearly 1,000 lives in west Africa in the worst outbreak in four decades, prompting the World Health Organisation last week to declare the epidemic a global health emergency.

Like other nations across east Africa, Rwanda said it had put in place measures against the deadly virus.

"Surveillance systems and emergency management systems have been established," the health ministry said.

"Health workers have been trained across the country and are vigilant.