Each suspected Ebola case has first to be examined by a doctor. The doctor establishes a diagnosis, based on the patient’s file and by taking into account any stay in areas where infections occur.

Only analysis can confirm the presence of an Ebola infection. There are very few specialised laboratories where safety standards are sufficiently high (BSL4 laboratories) to analyse the Ebola virus. In Belgium, the Institute of Tropical Medicine carries out Ebola diagnoses in its own laboratories. The institute has received approval to diagnose Ebola virus infections in its BSL3+ laboratory because the virus is not cultivated on its premises.