Ebola Nurse, Pauline Cafferkey, Back In Hospital Due To 'Unusual Late Complication'

British Ebola Nurse Pauline Cafferkey In A 'Serious Condition'
|

A Scottish nurse who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone last year is in a "serious condition" in hospital.

Pauline Cafferkey was transported in a military aircraft under supervision from Glasgow to an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north-west London, on Friday following an "unusual late complication" of the infection.

Those who have been in close contact with the 39-year-old are being monitored by Scottish health authorities as a precaution.

Open Image Modal

Pauline Cafferkey earlier this year

Royal Free has confirmed Ms Cafferkey is in a "serious condition", the Press Association repots. It is not thought that she is contagious.

A statement from the Royal Free said: "We can confirm that Pauline Cafferkey was transferred from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow to the Royal Free London hospital in the early hours of this morning due to an unusual late complication of her previous infection by the Ebola virus.

"She will now be treated in isolation in the hospital's high-level isolation unit under nationally agreed guidelines.

"The Ebola virus can only be transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person while they are symptomatic, so the risk to the general public remains low and the NHS has well-established and practised infection control procedures in place."

Professor Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England (PHE), said: "She was transported in a military aircraft under the supervision of experts.

"The Scottish health authorities will be following up on a small number of close contacts of Pauline's as a precaution."

Ten days ago Cafferkey met Samantha Cameron at a Downing Street reception for heroes. While in London she was recognised for the risks aid workers take with their own health at the Pride of Britain awards.

She was diagnosed with Ebola in December after returning to Glasgow from Sierra Leone, via London.

Cafferkey spent almost a month in an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital at the beginning of the year.