British health worker diagnosed with Ebola in Sierra Leone
Xinhua, March 12, 2015 Adjust font size:
A British military healthcare worker in Sierra Leone has been diagnosed with Ebola, Public Health England (PHE) announced here on Wednesday.
"We can confirm that a UK military healthcare worker in Sierra Leone has tested positive for Ebola," said a PHE spokesman.
He added that medical experts were making sure appropriate care was being delivered.
A decision on whether the individual will be evacuated to Britain for treatment has not yet been made.
"Any individuals identified as having had close contact will be assessed and a clinical decision made regarding bringing them to the UK," said the spokesman.
The worker, who is reportedly a female, is the third British citizen to test positive for Ebola since the epidemic broke out in West Africa.
Two other British citizens, nurses Will Pooley and Pauline Cafferkey, have fully recovered from Ebola after being infected with the virus in West Africa.
They were both flown back to Britain and treated at a specialist unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Between 600 and 700 British servicemen and women are reportedly working in Sierra Leone to help fight Ebola.
More than 9,800 people have died from Ebola in the current outbreak, according to the World Health Organization. Endi