Than Than Htay, medical superintendent from the Waibargi Hospital which specialises in infectious diseases, said yesterday that the man is now in the intensive care unit, along with four others who travelled with him.
The man, and his four companions, returned home on Tuesday from Guinea in West Africa , and may also have travelled to Liberia. A thermoscan at Yangon International Airport detected that he had a high fever. He boarded Myanmar Airways International Flight 8M332 from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and landed in Yangon at 8pm on August 19.
"The sick passenger and four others are now in the ICU. His condition is good. He is under surveillance because of the high body temperature. We are running a test on their blood," the physician said.
Dr Soe Lwin Nyein, deputy director-general of the disease control department at the Ministry of Health, said that the National Health Laboratory Department took blood samples from the five persons and sent the samples to a lab in India that has the capacity to detect the virus.
"It usually takes three or four days to get the lab result. Depending on it, we will release information," said Dr Soe Lwin Nyein said.
On Wednesday, Thai health officials said they were told the man in question did not have Ebola, but was sick with malaria.
All countries in Southeast Asia have been on full alert over the latest outbreak of the deadly virus, which has killed more than 1,000 people so far. The disease has an up to 90 per cent fatality rate.
The current outbreak is believed to have begun in Guinea in December 2013. It spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and recently an ill traveller from Liberia infected a small number of people in Nigeria with whom he had direct contact.
Thermoscans were installed in Yangon International Airport, in both departure and arrival halls, since the recent outbreak started.
Soe Lwin Nyein added that no passenger was suspected of having the deadly virus before August 18.
"Our job is to quarantine those people who may have the virus. The medical superintendent and medical team are keeping a close eye on them," he said.
The health ministry says it is ready for any outbreak. Four hospitals in major cities are prepared for any unexpected cases: one in Nay Pyi Taw, two in Yangon including Yangon General Hospital, and one in Mandalay.
The ministry recently issued an announcement that all people who travelled to West African countries must be inspected at airports and jetties. Anyone showing possible symptoms of Ebola must be sent to the nearest medical centre.
"Pilots and flight attendants on the MAI flight that carried the five passengers are now also quarantined. They have been told to stay at home," said Aye Mra Tha, marketing manager of the airline.
She added that the seats of the five passengers were replaced and the aircraft was sprayed with disinfectant. The process was monitored in person by Soe Lwin Nyein before the airline was allowed to continue using the aircraft today.
As of August 20, Ebola has killed 1,350 people, according to the World Health Organsation.
The most recent statistics show that deaths are increasing fastest in Liberia, where at least 576 people have died.
There have been 2,473 "confirmed, probable and suspect" cases of Ebola, including 221 new cases on Sunday and Monday, in Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the WHO said.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/man-monitored-for-ebola-in-yangon/
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