Three people have completed Ebola monitoring - all well

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says three people entering New Zealand were identified for self-monitoring as healthcare workers helping in the response in West Africa, and all have now been cleared.

“Since border screening for Ebola was introduced in New Zealand on 10 August, 74 people have been flagged,” says Dr Coleman.

“A traveller is flagged if they have been in an Ebola affected country within the last 30 days.

“Of those 74 people, three had been pre-identified and put onto self-monitoring for the length of the Ebola virus incubation, which is 21 days from their last potential exposure. All three have now been cleared.

“Self-monitoring for Ebola involves a person taking their temperature twice a day, and daily catch-ups with a public health officer.

“It is important to note that people infected with Ebola are not infectious before symptoms develop.”

All three people taking part in the self-monitoring were Red Cross workers returning home from working in an Ebola affected country.

“I receive daily updates about the local and international situation. We also have a Technical Expert Advisory Group focused solely on Ebola, which includes infectious diseases experts,” says Dr Coleman.

“Health and border authorities are well prepared to detect and respond to any potential cases of Ebola. While the risk to New Zealand remains low, we cannot guarantee that we won’t get a case here.”

Further information about New Zealand’s border screening for Ebola and the self-monitoring system can be found here: www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/ebola-updates/ebola-readiness.