TORONTO — Ontario’s ministry of health says a person in the province who recently travelled to East Africa is being tested for Ebola virus and is in hospital.
A spokesperson says the patient is being tested for a range of infections, including the deadly virus, “out of an abundance of caution,” given the person’s recent travel history.
Currently there’s an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda.
The World Health Organization says there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, though officials believe the scale of the spread is much larger.
It’s not immediately clear which type of Ebola the patient in Ontario is being tested for, or where in the region they travelled to.
The Public Health Agency of Canada says there has never been a case of Ebola virus in Canada.
Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and internal and external bleeding in later stages of the illness.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the risk of the outbreak is low on a global scale, but high at national and regional levels in Africa.
Global Affairs Canada said earlier on Wednesday that it was not aware of any Canadians affected by the current outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo, for which there is no vaccine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 20, 2026.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
