NEWS UPDATE:Australian Ebola Nurse Declared Safe

*Australian nurse in London Ebola lockdown declared safe by authorities 

AN Australian nurse airlifted to Britain from Sierra Leone where she was treating Ebola patients has now left hospital after an incubation period cleared her of ever having contracted the deadly disease.

The nurse was placed in quarantine for 21 days in London after having had a “low risk” incident while treating Ebola patients in the West African nation.
A condition of Australia setting up a clinic in Sierra Leone was that should there have been a risk of infection for any health care workers, Britain would take that person for observation and or treatment.
The Australian nurse was brought to the UK at the same time as another foreign NGO working in Sierra Leone who also inadvertently came into unguarded contact with a patient.
A spokesman for Public Health England confirmed the Australian had now left hospital after her 21-day assessment and monitoring period where it was found she did not have any symptoms of the disease.
“These two volunteers, who had potential exposure to the Ebola virus while working in Sierra Leone, have now completed the 21 day monitoring period, and are no longer considered at risk of Ebola,” the spokesman said.
The Australian on arrival had been deemed a “Category 3” patient meaning “high risk exposure” having had direct contact as part of clinical care with a symptomatic case with potential exposure.
Yesterday, two British military health care workers also returned to England 21 days ago from Sierra Leone for Ebola monitoring, were also given a clean bill of health. The pair had both suffered a needle-stick injury while treating someone with the virus.
Professor Paul Cosford, Public Health England’s director for health protection and medical director, said all necessary precautionary processes and protocols were followed.
“The individuals will receive ongoing monitoring and support while residing in appropriate private accommodation close to the Royal Free (Hospital),” he said. “The risk to the public from Ebola remains very low.”