Swedish medical team trains for potential ebola cases

A specialist unit at Linköping University Hospital is preparing to handle patients with highly contagious diseases like ebola, should an outbreak reach Sweden, public broadcaster SVT reports.

The team, part of one of Sweden’s two high-isolation units, regularly drills in transporting patients with suspected or confirmed severe infections. While the risk of ebola spreading to Sweden remains low, staff must be ready to act immediately if a case emerges, according to David Ekqvist, senior physician and head of the isolation unit.

“It’s rare that we need this in a real scenario,” Ekqvist said. “But because we must be able to respond at any moment—right after a phone call—personnel have to train constantly.”

The Linköping team has a national mandate to transfer patients from anywhere in Sweden to specialised care. Ekqvist emphasised that practical exercises are critical: “Writing procedures on paper isn’t enough. You have to rehearse to get everything right when it counts.”

Swedish health authorities are closely monitoring the ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, with the Public Health Agency of Sweden holding regular briefings with the Ministry of Social Affairs. Ekqvist described the situation as “worrying,” particularly due to the outbreak’s location in an already unstable region.

If a case is detected in Sweden—or if a Swede returning from an affected area falls ill—the unit is prepared to respond. “We’re ready and on standby to handle it if it happens,” Ekqvist said.