UK on EBOLA alert as first case is reported in Spain and passenger screening begins in the US

Medical staff disinfect their gear in Sierra-Leone. Photo: channelnewsasia

Spanish news agencies announced that a nurse arriving from the West Africa country of Sierra-Leone has tested positive with the Ebola virus. The nurse has been isolated and is under treatment while all those who have been in contact with her since she arrived in the country have been traced and are being monitored. The nurse was reported to have worn a protective suit when she was treating patients. This has created fear in the rest of Europe.

As the news filtered in to the UK, the government has geared up medical centres for any likelihood an epidemic. Head of the NHS today said, the UK only had two isolation tents in the country.

In the US, President Barak Obama has ordered that all new arrivals into the country from any where in the world should now be screened for the virus by medical personnel at airports. A few days ago, an Ebola patient was sent home from a hospital in Texas exposing tens of people to the disease.

42-year-old Ebola infected patient, Mr Duncan travelled from Liberia to the US to marry 54-year-old Ms Troh. Now, Ms Troh, her 13-year-old son, her nephew and a friend are now in quarantine.

The Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins has revealed that his office is actively investigating whether or not Mr Duncan will face criminal prosecution should he recover - he could face the charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon – with the Ebola virus as that weapon. If convicted this carries a jail term of two to 20 years. 

As the disease moved from a seemingly distant continent to the doorsteps of the world’s largest economies, government leaders who were reluctant to respond are now faced with ways to cope. Medicals officials have complained that they lack resources and training. 

In West Africa, while over 3,500 people have so far died in Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Gambia, Nigeria has been applauded for tackling and containing the disease. 17 people were infected and 8 have died. For the last 21 days, there has been no reported case of Ebola in Nigeria.

The foreign Policy website has noted that finger-prick tests for Ebola are in development now at Senova, a company in Weimar, Germany; at a small Colorado company called Corgenix; and at California-based Theranos.

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Morin Okenla is a blogger, artist, designer, writer and entrepreneur who maintains the website iShine Magazine website. You can reach Morin with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other topic via the email address ishinemagazine@gmail.com