A neighbourhood of the Dutch town of Heemseerk was temporarily quarantined after a 37-year-old man displayed symptoms of a potentially dangerous tropical disease, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reports. He had recently returned from a "tropical country."
The Dutch newspaper believes that the man had likely contracted Lassa fever, a disease native to West Africa. Laboratory results are set to confirm the case sometime on Friday morning. The patient is in isolation at the Leiden University Medical Centre.
For several hours on Thursday evening, the Dutch neighbourhood was completely sealed off and medical professionals entered wearing protective equipment. De Telegraaf claims that several people attempted to flee the cordoned area.
Lassa fever is typically transmitted by contact with infected rats, or their saliva or droppings. Most people with the disease have mild symptoms but it is highly contagious. In around 2% of cases, the disease is fatal. There is currently no vaccine for the disease.
The patient has been quarantined following a visit to a local medical centre after falling seriously ill. Five other people present at the doctor's office have also been quarantined to prevent any further spread of the virus.
A spokesperson for the emergency services in the region said that the move to quarantine the area was merely a precautionary measure and may ultimately prove unnecessary.
