Brazilian Officials Monitor Two Men for Possible Ebola Infection

Brazilian health authorities are monitoring two patients for possible Ebola infection in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, officials said. A 37-year-old man from the Democratic Republic of the Congo exhibited fever and met the definition of a suspected Ebola case, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement on Saturday.

Initial tests did not detect the virus, but the patient remains isolated at a specialized infectious disease facility. The Rio city government reported that the patient tested positive for malaria Saturday evening and remains under investigation.

The reports came the same day World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said five patients in Africa had recovered from the Bundibugyo virus strain. He spoke at the opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, Congo.

At least 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths have been reported in Congo, according to the WHO. The agency also recorded 134 confirmed cases and 18 deaths among confirmed cases in Congo and neighboring Uganda. Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death.

Challenges Doctors Without Borders said Saturday that the virus is spreading faster than the response and called for expanded testing and faster aid deployment. Attacks on health centers by residents have occurred at least three times. Tedros said community involvement is essential.

"If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover," he said. Pierre Akilimali, incident manager at Congo's National Institute of Public Health, said patients are recovering with current treatment. Davin Ambitapio, a doctor at the treatment center, said the virus is less complicated than past strains.