The Sarawak State Health Department (JKNS) today denied that a 47-year-old Iban man from Kapit who fainted at a supermarket in Sibu yesterday afternoon was infected with the Ebola virus.

JKNS director Dr Jamilah Hashim said the Sibu Hospital had reported that the man was still unconscious, and on respiratory aid.

"Clinical symptoms which do not resemble that of Ebola and the starting duration of the symptoms which go beyond that of the incubation period for the Ebola disease also reinforce the fact that the patient's illness is not caused by Ebola," she said in a statement.

According to her, the patient was being treated for virus infection, and the Sibu Hospital was still conducting further investigations to verify the cause of his condition.

Jamilah explained that the patient who worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa had returned home for the Hari Gawai celebration on April 29, 2018. However, his workplace was not situated in the area of Ebola outbreak in the country.

In the incident at about 3.30pm yesterday, the man suddenly fainted at a supermarket here and was taken to the Sibu Hospital where he was suspected of having Ebola.

- Bernama