This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29984150
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ebola: Test results due on Belfast hospital patient | Ebola: Test results due on Belfast hospital patient |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Public Health Agency (PHA) has said it is waiting for results of an Ebola test for a patient in a Belfast hospital. | |
| The person is being treated in an isolation unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital. | The person is being treated in an isolation unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital. |
| The PHA said the person had recently travelled in an Ebola-affected area. | The PHA said the person had recently travelled in an Ebola-affected area. |
| Having already tested positive for malaria, a blood sample will confirm if the patient also has Ebola. Those results are expected within 48 hours. | Having already tested positive for malaria, a blood sample will confirm if the patient also has Ebola. Those results are expected within 48 hours. |
| The BBC understands the patient has been in the Royal Victoria Hospital's special isolation unit since Friday. | The BBC understands the patient has been in the Royal Victoria Hospital's special isolation unit since Friday. |
| It is not yet known if the patient is a man or a woman. | It is not yet known if the patient is a man or a woman. |
| The PHA said the person in question was being assessed and tested in accordance with a national contingency plan. | The PHA said the person in question was being assessed and tested in accordance with a national contingency plan. |
| In line with national guidelines, nursing staff are wearing protective clothing while caring for the patient. | In line with national guidelines, nursing staff are wearing protective clothing while caring for the patient. |
| BBC News NI health correspondent Marie-Louise Connolly said it was "highly unlikely" that Northern Ireland had a positive case of Ebola. | |
| She said if a case was confirmed, the patient would be categorised according to risk. | |
| Category one is a low risk patient, while category four would mean the Royal Air Force would transport the patient to England. | |
| Last month, it was announced that senior doctors in Northern Ireland had been putting contingency plans in place for an outbreak of Ebola. | Last month, it was announced that senior doctors in Northern Ireland had been putting contingency plans in place for an outbreak of Ebola. |
| The PHA said it was keeping in regular contact with staff across the health service and advised that there was no increased risk to other patients or the wider community. | The PHA said it was keeping in regular contact with staff across the health service and advised that there was no increased risk to other patients or the wider community. |
| It said there was no change to the current situation in Northern Ireland in that the risk to the public was "very low". | It said there was no change to the current situation in Northern Ireland in that the risk to the public was "very low". |
| Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, can be a severe illness in humans. | Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, can be a severe illness in humans. |
| The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is two to 21 days. | The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is two to 21 days. |