Recommendations for the Safe Collection and Proper Management of Samples Potentially Infected with the Ebola Virus - 20 May 2026

The recommendations for the safe collection and proper handling of samples potentially infectious with the Ebola virus standardize the step-by-step procedure that trained health personnel must follow when collecting blood samples from patients with suspected EVD, ensuring the protection of the worker, the environment, and the diagnostic integrity of the sample. The operational flow covers everything from preparation prior to entering the patient's room—including the preparation of collection materials, personal protective equipment, and required documentation—through the venipuncture technique using a vacuum system, to the packaging of the sample in triple-layered packaging for shipment to the National Reference Laboratory.

The protocol establishes sequential operational criteria for the safe donning and doffing of personal protective equipment, the immediate management of contaminated waste, and coordination with a designated assistant outside the room, ensuring at all times that contact with potentially infectious material is minimized. It also includes guidelines on the storage and transport conditions for the collected sample, in accordance with WHO guidelines for the prevention and control of Ebola and Marburg virus infections and current IATA regulations for the transport of infectious substances.