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Spain Reports First Case of Ebola Contracted Outside West Africa Spain Reports First Case of Ebola Contracted Outside West Africa
(35 minutes later)
BARCELONA, Spain — A Spanish nurse has become the first person to be infected with Ebola outside of West Africa after contracting the virus while treating a missionary who died in a Madrid hospital, Spain’s health ministry said Monday. BARCELONA, Spain — A Spanish nurse has become the first person to be infected with Ebola outside of West Africa, after contracting the virus while treating a missionary who died in a Madrid hospital, Spain’s health ministry said Monday.
The assistant nurse was part of the medical team at Madrid’s Carlos III hospital that treated Manuel García Viejo, the missionary, who was repatriated from Sierra Leone but then died in the Madrid hospital on Sept. 25. The assistant nurse was part of the medical team at Madrid’s Carlos III hospital that treated Manuel García Viejo, the missionary, who was repatriated from Sierra Leone but died in the hospital on Sept. 25.
Ana Mato, Spain’s health minister, told a televised news conference that the nurse tested positive for Ebola twice, and that the rest of the 30-person team that looked after the missionary were undergoing medical tests to determine whether they had contracted Ebola. Ana Mato, Spain’s health minister, told a televised news conference that the nurse tested positive for Ebola twice, and that the rest of the 30-person team that looked after the missionary were undergoing medical tests to determine whether they had contracted Ebola. The nurse’s identity was not disclosed.
The nurse, whose name was not disclosed, worked in the Carlos III hospital that had been specially selected and prepared to treat August Miguel Pajares, another Spanish priest who had been working in Africa and was the first European to be repatriated after being infected with Ebola. Father Pajares died on Aug. 12, five days after entering the special unit of the Carlos III hospital. The Carlos III hospital was specially selected and prepared to treat another Spanish priest who had been working in Africa and was the first European to be repatriated after being infected with Ebola. The priest, August Miguel Pajares, died on Aug. 12, five days after entering the special unit of the hospital.
Ms. Mato, the health minister, would not discuss how a staff member could have contracted Ebola while working in a hospital specially equipped to handle such a dangerous virus. “We are trying to determine whether all the health safety protocols have been followed,” she said.Ms. Mato, the health minister, would not discuss how a staff member could have contracted Ebola while working in a hospital specially equipped to handle such a dangerous virus. “We are trying to determine whether all the health safety protocols have been followed,” she said.
Ms. Mato urged people to remain calm, adding that “all the possible measures” were being taken to guarantee public health safety.Ms. Mato urged people to remain calm, adding that “all the possible measures” were being taken to guarantee public health safety.
Antonio Alemany, a health official from the regional government of Madrid, told the news conference that the nurse went on vacation a day after Father García Viejo died. She got in touch with a medical center on Sept. 30, after feeling feverish, but had been leading “a normal life” while on vacation, he added, without giving details on her whereabouts during that period. Antonio Alemany, a health official from the regional government of Madrid, told the news conference that the nurse went on vacation a day after Father García Viejo died. She contacted a medical center on Sept. 30, after feeling feverish, but had been leading “a normal life” while on vacation, he added, without giving details about her whereabouts during that period.
Mr. Alemany said the nurse initially showed only “low symptoms” of illness, with a fever of roughly 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He described her current condition as stable, after the Ebola infection was confirmed in two separate tests. He would not estimate how many people had contact with the nurse in the past two weeks, saying that a complete list was being drawn up. On the list is the nurse’s husband, Mr. Alemany said, but she has no children. She is 44, according to the website of El País, the Spanish newspaper, which cited unidentified medical sources. Mr. Alemany said the nurse initially showed only “low symptoms” of illness, with a fever of roughly 100 degrees Fahrenheit. He described her current condition as stable, after the Ebola infection was confirmed in two separate tests. He would not estimate how many people had contact with the nurse in the past two weeks, saying that a complete list was being drawn up.
The nurse had direct access to Father García Viejo on two occasions, Mr. Alemany said, one of which occurred after his death on Sept. 25. Father Garcíá Viejo, 69, had been repatriated three days earlier from Sierra Leone. On the list is the nurse’s husband, Mr. Alemany said; she has no children. She is 44, according to El País, the Spanish newspaper, which cited unidentified medical sources.
The nurse was kept in isolation in a hospital in Alcorcón, on the outskirts of Madrid, but not in a unit specialized to treat infections like Ebola. She was expected to be transferred to the Carlos III hospital late Monday. The nurse had direct access to Father García Viejo on two occasions, Mr. Alemany said, one of which occurred after his death on Sept. 25. He had been repatriated three days earlier from Sierra Leone.
The nurse was being kept in isolation in a hospital in Alcorcón, on the outskirts of Madrid, but not in a unit specialized to treat infections like Ebola. She was expected to be transferred to the Carlos III hospital late Monday.