FIRST EBOLA CASE IN BRITAIN, HOW AND WHERE

Glasgow - A healthcare worker recently back from
Sierra Leone was diagnosed with Ebola on
Monday by doctors in Scotland's largest city, the
first diagnosis of the deadly virus in Britain during
the current outbreak.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed
that the patient was a female health worker who
had been working on the "front-line" with Ebola
patients, and was currently in a stable condition
in hospital.
The patient returned to Scotland late Sunday via
Casablanca and London Heathrow, arriving at
Glasgow Airport at around 23:30, according to a
Scottish government press release.
She was admitted to Gartnavel Hospital campus
on Monday after feeling unwell and placed in
isolation at 07:50.
"All possible contacts with the patient are now
being investigated and anyone deemed to be at
risk will be contacted and closely monitored," said
the government.
"However, having been diagnosed in the very early
stages of the illness, the risk to others is
considered extremely low."
No great concern
Alastair McConchie from the Scottish health
service explained that the patient had been
transferred using a specialist ambulance service
and was "not showing any great clinical concern.”
The patient was being treated in the hospital's
Brownlee Unit for Infectious Diseases but a
transfer was being arranged to move her to the
high level isolation unit in London's Royal Free
hospital "as soon as possible", according to
protocol laid down by the government in London.
British Prime Minister David Cameron later said
that "all measures would be taken to protect
public health”.
The Scottish government is currently contacting
the 71 other people onboard the British Airways
flight from London to Glasgow, but stressed there
was "negligible risk" as the patient "displayed no
symptoms" of the type that could cause
transmission.
"Our first thoughts at this time must be with the
patient diagnosed with Ebola and their friends and
family. I wish them a speedy recovery," said
Sturgeon at a press conference.
"Scotland has been preparing for this possibility
from the beginning of the outbreak in West Africa
and I am confident that we are well prepared."
Patient screened at Heathrow
Sturgeon confirmed that she had earlier chaired a
meeting of the Scottish government's "resilience
committee" and that she was working closely with
Cameron.
British Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was also to
chair a meeting of the Cobra emergency
committee late on Monday.
Scotland remains part of the UK following
September's referendum, but has autonomy over
its health service.
However, it has agreed to send any Ebola patients
to the highly-specialised London unit.
Will Pooley, a British nurse, was treated there
using the experimental ZMapp drug earlier this
year after being diagnosed with Ebola in Sierra
Leone.
He recovered and has since returned to the
country to help fight the disease.
Sturgeon revealed that the patient had been
screened when leaving Sierra Leone and also
when transferring at Heathrow, but had shown no
signs of infection.
"It would appear she has been diagnosed at a
very early stage before symptoms were
manifesting themselves," said the first minister.
Previous diagnosis
The last Ebola patient in Europe was a Nigerian
UN peacekeeper who was cured after being
brought to the Netherlands for treatment.
He was flown to there at the request of the World
Health Organization in a specially equipped plane
and treated at the university hospital in the
central city of Utrecht.
Spanish nurse Teresa Romero in October became
the first person to be diagnosed with the disease
within the European Union.
The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in West
Africa has risen to 7 842 out of 20 081 cases
recorded, the World Health Organization said on
Monday.