Ebola isolation activated for suspected case in Sardinia, Italy

Italian health authorities have placed a man in isolation in a Cagliari hospital on the island of Sardinia due to suspected Ebola virus infection. The Ministry of Health confirmed the activation of isolation protocols on May 31, 2026.

The individual arrived in Italy on a flight that landed in Rome on Saturday, having traveled from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently experiencing an Ebola outbreak. He later took another flight to Sardinia. Upon arrival, he reported experiencing a fever and mild cough for a couple of days.

Local health officials conducted an epidemiological investigation. They determined that the man had visited relatives in Kinshasa earlier in May but had not traveled outside the city. The current Ebola outbreak is concentrated in the Ituri province, which is geographically distant from Kinshasa. Consequently, despite pending test results, the situation is not considered highly concerning.

This case follows two previous instances where individuals tested for Ebola at the Sacco Hospital in Milan after returning from Uganda; both tests returned negative. The Ministry of Health reiterated that the risk to Italy remains very low and pledged to provide further updates as the epidemiological situation evolves. The current outbreak in Ituri involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has a fatality rate of 30-50% and for which no authorized vaccine or specific treatment exists, according to the World Health Organization.