This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/30/scottish-ebola-patient-arrives-london-treatment

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Scottish Ebola patient arrives in London for treatment Scottish Ebola patient arrives in London for treatment
(35 minutes later)
The Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola while volunteering in west Africa has arrived in London for specialist treatment after being transferred by military aircraft from hospital in Glasgow.The Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola while volunteering in west Africa has arrived in London for specialist treatment after being transferred by military aircraft from hospital in Glasgow.
The patient, who has not yet been named but is in a stable condition, was taken on board the aircraft within a specialist quarantine tent from Glasgow airport on Tuesday morning, surrounded by medical staff in protection suits. She was then transferred to an RAF truck, which took her to the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead, north London, accompanied by police cars. The patient, who has not yet been named but is in a stable condition, was taken on board the aircraft within a specialist quarantine tent from Glasgow airport on Tuesday morning, surrounded by medical staff in protection suits. She was then transferred to an RAF ambulance, which took her to the Royal Free hospital in Hampstead, north London, accompanied by police cars.
Thought to be a nurse with NHS Lanarkshire, she was taken into the UK’s high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free – the unit which successfully treated British nurse William Pooley, who contracted Ebola last August.Thought to be a nurse with NHS Lanarkshire, she was taken into the UK’s high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free – the unit which successfully treated British nurse William Pooley, who contracted Ebola last August.
The hospital said: “The Royal Free hospital can confirm that it is expecting to receive a patient who has tested positive for Ebola. The patient will be treated in the high-level isolation unit (HLIU).”The hospital said: “The Royal Free hospital can confirm that it is expecting to receive a patient who has tested positive for Ebola. The patient will be treated in the high-level isolation unit (HLIU).”
The nurse was admitted to one of Scotland’s main infectious diseases units at Gartnavel hospital in Glasgow on Monday morning after falling unwell only a few hours after returning from two months volunteering at a Save the Children Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone.The nurse was admitted to one of Scotland’s main infectious diseases units at Gartnavel hospital in Glasgow on Monday morning after falling unwell only a few hours after returning from two months volunteering at a Save the Children Ebola treatment unit in Sierra Leone.
A doctor from Newport has told the Shropshire Star that he was sitting next to the nurse on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow on Sunday night.A doctor from Newport has told the Shropshire Star that he was sitting next to the nurse on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow on Sunday night.
Dr Martin Deahl, 58, was also helping to tackle the virus in Sierra Leone, where Ebola has killed more than 2,500 people, out of a total of more than 7,500 in west Africa.Dr Martin Deahl, 58, was also helping to tackle the virus in Sierra Leone, where Ebola has killed more than 2,500 people, out of a total of more than 7,500 in west Africa.
He said that said Public Health England had called him twice to ask for his temperature, as anyone with a high reading would be placed into isolation as a precaution, but that he was fine.He said that said Public Health England had called him twice to ask for his temperature, as anyone with a high reading would be placed into isolation as a precaution, but that he was fine.
Deahl said: “You can only catch Ebola if you come into contact with bodily fluids such as blood, spit or urine, which we were extra careful about not doing. But I am absolutely fine. I am just so shocked and heartbroken to hear that anyone from our team has had this happen after such a difficult Christmas out there.”Deahl said: “You can only catch Ebola if you come into contact with bodily fluids such as blood, spit or urine, which we were extra careful about not doing. But I am absolutely fine. I am just so shocked and heartbroken to hear that anyone from our team has had this happen after such a difficult Christmas out there.”
Health experts treating the nurse, the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed on UK soil, said she was “quite stable” and showing few signs causing clinical concern, raising hopes she would survive the disease.Health experts treating the nurse, the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed on UK soil, said she was “quite stable” and showing few signs causing clinical concern, raising hopes she would survive the disease.
Dr Alisdair MacConnachie, a consultant in infectious diseases for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, who had been treating the patient, said she had had no contact with other parts of the NHS or any accident and emergency facility.Dr Alisdair MacConnachie, a consultant in infectious diseases for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, who had been treating the patient, said she had had no contact with other parts of the NHS or any accident and emergency facility.
“She [is] quite stable and not showing any great clinical concern at the minute,” he said.“She [is] quite stable and not showing any great clinical concern at the minute,” he said.
Asked about the patient’s prospects, he said that being clinically stable at this stage “should translate into a good prognosis”.Asked about the patient’s prospects, he said that being clinically stable at this stage “should translate into a good prognosis”.
Urgent steps were being taken by officials with Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England to trace scores of passengers on the nurse’s Royal Air Maroc flight into the UK from Casablanca in Morocco, and the 71 passengers on her internal British Airways connection – BA 1478 – from Heathrow to Glasgow on Sunday night.Urgent steps were being taken by officials with Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England to trace scores of passengers on the nurse’s Royal Air Maroc flight into the UK from Casablanca in Morocco, and the 71 passengers on her internal British Airways connection – BA 1478 – from Heathrow to Glasgow on Sunday night.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and previously Scottish health secretary, said on Monday evening the search for passengers “was very much a precautionary measure”. The nurse, who is believed to be at the early stages of the infection, had been cleared by screening in Sierra Leone and at Heathrow.Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister and previously Scottish health secretary, said on Monday evening the search for passengers “was very much a precautionary measure”. The nurse, who is believed to be at the early stages of the infection, had been cleared by screening in Sierra Leone and at Heathrow.
“The risk to other people as a result of this Ebola case is deemed to be extremely low,” Sturgeon told a press conference.“The risk to other people as a result of this Ebola case is deemed to be extremely low,” Sturgeon told a press conference.
“Given the early stage of diagnosis, the patient was showing no signs of the symptoms which lead to transmission [of the virus] to other people.”“Given the early stage of diagnosis, the patient was showing no signs of the symptoms which lead to transmission [of the virus] to other people.”
She said the risk to the general public was “extremely low to the point of negligible” and added: “There’s no reason for the wider public in Scotland to be at all concerned.”She said the risk to the general public was “extremely low to the point of negligible” and added: “There’s no reason for the wider public in Scotland to be at all concerned.”
A senior Public Health England official said the risk of Ebola spreading from the nurse was extremely low but further checks were being carried out as a precaution. Prof Paul Cosford, the medical director of Public Health England, A senior Public Health England official said the risk of Ebola spreading from the nurse was extremely low but further checks were being carried out as a precaution. Prof Paul Cosford, the medical director of Public Health England, said the authorities were confident the nurse has been successfully isolated and her clinical care was “going as expected”.
said the authorities were confident the nurse has been successfully isolated and her clinical care was “going as expected”.
However, he said passengers who had sat with her on flights into the UK and from London to Glasgow would want to be reassured by contact with doctors.However, he said passengers who had sat with her on flights into the UK and from London to Glasgow would want to be reassured by contact with doctors.
He assessed the risk of transmission as “extremely low” outside of the hospital environment where she is being cared for in London. He assessed the risk of transmission as extremely low outside of the hospital environment where she is being cared for in London.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Cosford said: “What it’s important to understand is the way that Ebola virus is transmitted is through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is seriously ill – vomit or blood or diarrhoea. This particular individual had symptoms of fever but did not have any of those symptoms that make us very worried about transmission before she was in the isolation facility in Glasgow. We are confident the risk to others is low but obviously, as a precaution we are making contact with [other travellers].”Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Cosford said: “What it’s important to understand is the way that Ebola virus is transmitted is through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is seriously ill – vomit or blood or diarrhoea. This particular individual had symptoms of fever but did not have any of those symptoms that make us very worried about transmission before she was in the isolation facility in Glasgow. We are confident the risk to others is low but obviously, as a precaution we are making contact with [other travellers].”
Asked why the patient had been moved to the Royal Free and whether she would receive experimental drugs, Cosford said that was a clinical decision for those now caring for her.Asked why the patient had been moved to the Royal Free and whether she would receive experimental drugs, Cosford said that was a clinical decision for those now caring for her.
Meanwhile, two more people who have been in west Africa are being tested for Ebola, one in Scotland and one in Cornwall.Meanwhile, two more people who have been in west Africa are being tested for Ebola, one in Scotland and one in Cornwall.
Sturgeon said the Scottish patient was another healthcare worker who had recently returned from the region.Sturgeon said the Scottish patient was another healthcare worker who had recently returned from the region.
The Cornish patient has been placed in isolation at the Royal Cornwall hospital in Treliske, Truro.The Cornish patient has been placed in isolation at the Royal Cornwall hospital in Treliske, Truro.
It is understood the patient, who attended the hospital on Tuesday morning, recently returned from a country affected by an outbreak of the virus.It is understood the patient, who attended the hospital on Tuesday morning, recently returned from a country affected by an outbreak of the virus.
In a joint statement, the hospital and Public Health England said: “A patient has been admitted to Royal Cornwall hospital and is currently undergoing a series of tests – one of which is for Ebola.In a joint statement, the hospital and Public Health England said: “A patient has been admitted to Royal Cornwall hospital and is currently undergoing a series of tests – one of which is for Ebola.
“We do not expect the results to be known for at least 24 hours and in the meantime the patient is being looked after in isolation, following nationally agreed guidelines and protocols to protect the health of our staff and other patients.“We do not expect the results to be known for at least 24 hours and in the meantime the patient is being looked after in isolation, following nationally agreed guidelines and protocols to protect the health of our staff and other patients.
“Royal Cornwall hospitals NHS trust has been following national guidance around Ebola and made plans in line with advice from Public Health England and NHS England.”“Royal Cornwall hospitals NHS trust has been following national guidance around Ebola and made plans in line with advice from Public Health England and NHS England.”
About 100 people have been tested for Ebola in hospitals across England this year so far. The NHS worker is the second Briton to test positive.About 100 people have been tested for Ebola in hospitals across England this year so far. The NHS worker is the second Briton to test positive.
Nurse William Pooley, 29, contracted Ebola while volunteering in Sierra Leone in August before getting the all-clear following treatment at the Royal Free.Nurse William Pooley, 29, contracted Ebola while volunteering in Sierra Leone in August before getting the all-clear following treatment at the Royal Free.
He returned to Sierra Leone last month to continue treating patients in an Ebola isolation unit run by UK medical staff.He returned to Sierra Leone last month to continue treating patients in an Ebola isolation unit run by UK medical staff.