Britain’s screening system for the disease immediately came under scrutiny after the NHS nurse’s condition was not detected in either country.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, confirmed that a woman was being treated at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow after returning to Scotland via London.
She appealed for the public not to panic and said that the chances of a wider outbreak were “negligible”.
Scottish health authorities, Public Health England and British Airways were trying to trace all 71 passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight who may have been exposed to the disease.
She left Sierra Leone on Dec 28 and had been a passenger on flight AT596 from Freetown to Casablanca before catching flight AT0800 from Casablanca to London.
The woman was also tested on her arrival at Heathrow before she took a connecting flight – about four hours later – to Glasgow at 9pm on Sunday, arriving in Scotland at 11.30pm on flight BA1478.
She started feeling unwell in the early hours of Monday morning and was taken to hospital by ambulance at 7.50am, where she was placed into an isolation unit. Doctors said last night that she was in a stable condition and her prognosis was good.
The Royal Free Hospital in London has a dedicated specialist unit for dealing with potential Ebola cases (Getty Images)
The Royal Free Hospital in London has a dedicated specialist unit for dealing with potential Ebola cases (Getty Images)
Save the Children confirmed the woman had been working in Kerry Town, Sierra Leone, and was an NHS Scotland employee.
According to regulations for tackling the disease, the patient will be transferred to an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital, London, as soon as possible.
Ms Sturgeon said the woman was screened twice but had displayed no symptoms of the disease.
She said the risk of it passing to other passengers on the same plane was extremely low as it appeared to have been caught at a very early stage.
Public health experts said the disease could incubate for eight or nine days within a carrier but it could not be passed on until they start displaying serious symptoms such as vomiting, not merely a fever.
However, the First Minister said health officials in Scotland and England were tracing the other passengers on both planes on which the woman was carried.
She confirmed there were 71 passengers on the plane from Heathrow to Glasgow and the woman had only been in contact with one other person in Scotland. However, she could not provide figures for the leg of the journey from Sierra Leone and the stopover in Heathrow.
Those sitting near the aid worker will be monitored, while those further away will be advised the risk of them contracting it is extremely low and told about the symptoms.
However a telephone helpline was set up for anyone who was on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight last night. The number is 08000 858531.
Ms Sturgeon said she chaired a meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Committee (SGoRR) to ensure contingency plans were being followed and also spoke to David Cameron.
She said: “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.
“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.
“We have the robust procedures in place to identify cases rapidly. Our health service also has the expertise and facilities to ensure that confirmed Ebola cases such as this are contained and isolated effectively minimising any potential spread of the disease.”
The Scottish Government said the person’s name and age would not be released.
Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, chaired a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee alongside health officials and experts.
Sources close to Mr Hunt said he is receiving regular updates from the airports authorities and senior health officials.
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister and the First Minister discussed the UK’s robust and practised response procedures in place and how these were being strictly followed.
“They agreed that both governments would remain in close touch and ensure everything possible was done to support the patient and, although the risk to the general population remained low, all measures would be taken to protect public health.
“The Prime Minister’s thoughts are with the patient and her friends and family at this difficult time.”
A British Airways spokesman said: “We are working closely with the health authorities in England and Scotland and will offer assistance with any information they require.
“Customers who flew from London Heathrow to Glasgow on BA1478 which departed at 2100 on Sunday December 28 and have concerns should contact the special number 08000 858531 set up by the Scottish Government.
“The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority and the risk to people on board that individual flight is extremely low.”
A spokesman for the Royal Free Hospital said it was not yet clear when the patient would be transferred to London.
Prof Ian Jones, Professor of Virology, University of Reading, said: “This is an unfortunate development amid the news generally that the Ebola situation may be coming under control. However, with the experience of treating previous cases there is every chance of a speedy recovery and as the patient has been isolated there is essentially no risk to the general population at large.”
Prof Nigel Brown, President of the Society for General Microbiology, said: “Ebola is a very difficult virus to transmit. If a person is symptomless they are unable to infect anyone else.”
The Telegraph
The Telegraph
