Ebola Virus News: First British Health Worker in Sierra Leone
The first British national infected by the Ebola virus was flown to the U.K. Sunday from Sierra Leone, The Associated Press reported.
In addition, a World Health Organization worker -- whose name and nationality were not identified -- is also infected and the WHO is considering sending them home too.
"This is the first time someone working under the aegis of WHO has fallen ill with the disease," the WHO said in its statement, according to AP.
The WHO also said that more than 225 health workers have been infected and nearly 130 have died from Ebola during the current outbreak.
The British WHO worker, who was not identified, was working in Sierra Leone, one of the worst-hit of the affected countries, AP reported.
The patient is not seriously ill but will be taken to the Royal Free Hospital in London and kept in an isolation unit.
The World Health Organization told AP Sierra Leone has reported 392 deaths of the 1,427 reported so far. The Sierra Leone government said 881 cases of infection and 333 deaths are reported, according to AP. In Kenema, where the British worker was, 303 cases of infection were reported.
Health officials stress that the risk of spread to the U.K. is very low, according to BBC.
"U.K. hospitals have a proven record of dealing with imported infectious diseases and this patient will be isolated and will receive the best care possible," Paul Cosford, director for health protection at Public Health England told BBC.
John Watson, Department of Health deputy chief medical officer, told BBC, "It is important to be reassured that although a case of Ebola in a British national healthcare worker residing in Sierra Leone has been identified and is being brought back to the U.K. the overall risk to the public in the U.K. remains very low."
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