Turns out the Ebola virus can stay in semen or urine for up to three months.
A 26-year-old man, who was considered clear of Ebola after being treated and released from a Liberian hospital at the end of September, is now being held at a New Delhi airport. He arrived at the airport on Nov. 10 and has been quarantined for precautionary reasons because his semen is still testing positive for the virus, even though his blood tests negative.
A government statement carried by the Press Trust of India said, “The person concerned is a treated and cured case of Ebola virus disease.” Regardless, it stated that the man will be in quarantine until all fluids test negative.
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“All necessary precautions are being taken at the isolation facility,” the statement said. “This would rule out even the remote possibility of spread of this disease by the sexual route.”
Other news:
NYC woman’s remains test negative for Ebola – A hairdresser died of a sudden heart attack following a recent trip to West Africa, and because she had only been in the U.S. for 18 days (less than the 21-day incubation period) officials tested her remains for the virus.
Cuban doctor tests positive for the virus, sent to Geneva for treatment – Feliz Baez Sarria, 43, started feeling feverish on Sunday and is currently in a Red Cross centrer near Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown. He was in the country treating Ebola patients and has now tested positive for the virus. He will be flown to Geneva for treatment.
Plasma from Ebola survivors best bet for treatment currently – Plasma from survivors contains antibodies, substances the immune system makes to fight the virus. Several Ebola patients have received survivor plasma and recovered. However, doctors still don’t know for sure if the treatment is sound. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation along with many other organizations and universities are giving $5.7 million to increase production of plasma treatments and other drug testing for use in Guinea and other Ebola-affected countries in Africa.
[Photo from flickr user European Commission DG ECHO]
