Health officials in Brazil are closely monitoring two people for possible Ebola infection in the country's largest cities, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
In São Paulo, a 37-year-old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), where the current Ebola outbreak is centered, developed symptoms including fever, leading authorities to classify him as a suspected Ebola case.
Meanwhile, in Rio de Janeiro, health officials activated emergency safety measures after a Belgian man who had recently arrived from Uganda showed symptoms such as cough, chills, and diarrhea. Although initial tests did not detect the Ebola virus, he has been placed in isolation at a specialized infectious disease facility while further investigations continue.
Test results for both patients are expected next week. If either case is confirmed, it would mark the first Ebola infection reported outside Africa since the outbreak began in DR Congo.
The Rio city government later said the patient tested positive for malaria on Saturday evening, but the case is still under investigation. Brazil's Health Minister also stated on Sunday that the man's Ebola tests came back negative, though he will remain in quarantine until the investigation is completed.
Despite the suspected cases, São Paulo health authorities emphasized that the risk of Ebola spreading to Brazil or the rest of South America remains very low.
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