US doctor isolated in Czech hospital for Ebola monitoring released, heading home

PRAGUE — A U.S. doctor who was transferred from Uganda to a hospital in the Czech Republic as a precaution after coming into contact with an Ebola patient has been released and is returning home, Prague's Bulovka Hospital said Wednesday.

The doctor, identified by media reports as Patrick LaRochelle, had been isolated at the hospital since May 21. He was discharged after completing the virus's incubation period without developing symptoms.

Bulovka Hospital said in a post on X that LaRochelle showed no signs of illness during his isolation.

LaRochelle was transferred to Prague for a three-week quarantine at the request of U.S. authorities. According to the Czech Health Ministry, the transfer was arranged because of the country's expertise in infectious diseases.

Health authorities continue efforts to contain an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, while neighboring Uganda has also reported cases.

Meanwhile, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has urged European countries to adopt travel restrictions similar to those imposed by Washington on people who have recently visited Central African nations affected by the Ebola outbreak. The move aims to prevent the spread of the virus during the upcoming FIFA World Cup, according to sources and officials. -Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Nia Williams/Reuters