Cuban doctor contracts Ebola in Sierra Leone, to be moved to Geneva

Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 November 2014, 21:51 by GxMedia

Havana, Nov 19 (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.

Dr. 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 center in Kerry Town set up for U.N. officials where Cuban professionals also work.

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

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

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

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

Cubahas 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 traveled in early October to Sierra Leone, and on October 21 another 83 health workers were sent to Liberia and Guinea Conakry.