Health officials in Glasgow, Scotland have confirmed one patient is being treated for Ebola, and a second patient is being tested for the virus. Both patients have recently returned from West Africa.
The confirmed Ebola case is in a female healthcare worker arriving in Glasgow the evening of Dec. 28, after having provided support to the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone.
“The patient was admitted to hospital early in the morning after feeling unwell and was placed into isolation at 7.50 a.m.,” stated officials from NHS Scotland. “All possible contacts with the patient are now being investigated and anyone deemed to be at risk will be contacted and closely monitored. However, having been diagnosed in the very early stages of the illness, the risk to others is considered extremely low.”
The patient, who has not been identified, was initially admitted to the Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow and placed in isolation. Per established NHS protocols, the patient was then transferred this morning to the high-level isolation unit in the Royal Free hospital, London.
Health officials are tracing the 71 other people who were on the British Airways flight from London to Glasgow with the woman, according to reports from The Telegraph.
Second Patient Tested in Scotland
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stated they are investigating a new possible case of Ebola in another healthcare worker who had recently returned from West Africa.
Officials described the case as low risk, with no known contact with the virus. The patient apparently has no connection to the confirmed case of Ebola in Scotland.
“A patient 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,” stated representatives from the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust.
