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Ebola in the United Kingdom

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Ebola virus disease in the United Kingdom and Ireland has occurred rarely in four cases to date, namely three health workers returning from treating victims of the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa in 2014 and 2015, and a single case in 1976, when a laboratory technician contracted the disease in a needlestick injury while handling samples from Africa. All cases recovered. As of 2023, no domestic transmission of Ebola has occurred in the United Kingdom or Ireland.

Infected in the UK and Ireland

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On 5 November 1976, Geoffrey Platt, a laboratory technician at the former Microbiological Research Establishment in Porton Down, Wiltshire, contracted Ebola in an accidental needlestick injury from a contaminated needle while handling samples from Africa.[1] He was treated with human interferon and convalescent serum. The course of his disease was mild and he fully recovered.[2][3]

Infected outside UK and Ireland

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Main article: West African Ebola virus epidemic

Nurse, 2014

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The high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital, in the Hampstead area of London, received its first case on 24 August 2014. William Pooley, a British nurse who contracted the disease while working in Sierra Leone as part of the relief effort for the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa, was medically evacuated by the Royal Air Force on a specially-equipped C-17 aircraft.[4] He was released from hospital on 3 September 2014.[5] Pooley delivered the UK's Channel 4 television program Alternative Christmas message in 2014.[6] He was reported to be planning to return to Sierra Leone on 19 October 2014.[7] He also donated blood to support developing a cure for the disease.[7]

Aid worker, 2014

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Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead

On 29 December 2014, Pauline Cafferkey, a Scottish aid worker who had just returned from an Ebola treatment centre in Kerry Town in Sierra Leone to Glasgow via Casablanca Airport and London Heathrow Airport, was diagnosed with Ebola virus disease at Glasgow's Gartnavel General Hospital.[8][9][10] it was thought she contracted the virus as a result of wearing a visor instead of goggles.[11] Criticism was levelled at screening protocols at UK points of entry, which mainly consisted of taking a person's temperature and asking a series of questions.[12]

After initial treatment in Glasgow, she was transferred to the specialist high-level isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London for longer-term treatment.[9][13] Contact tracing was carried out on the other passengers who had traveled on the flight from London to Glasgow with her.[13] In January 2015, she experienced a period of critical illness,[14] and underwent intensive medical treatment.[15] In January 2015 she was declared to be free of infection, and released from hospital.[16]

In October 2015, Cafferkey was diagnosed with late complications caused by the Ebola virus hitherto considered unusual, and readmitted to the Royal Free Hospital. The virus had remained in her cerebrospinal fluid and was feared to be in her central nervous system.[17] Her doctors stated that she had been critically ill due to neurological complications from meningitis, and that she had been treated using a highly experimental anti-viral agent.[18][19][20] On 12 November the Royal Free Hospital said that Cafferkey had made a full recovery and was no longer infectious.[21]

In February 2016, Cafferkey was readmitted to the Royal Free Hospital due to complications from her infection,[22] but later that month declared not to be infectious and discharged.[23] In October 2016, she was again admitted to hospital, monitored by the infectious diseases unit at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital,[24] but tests for the Ebola virus were negative.[25]

In 2016, proceedings were initiated against Cafferkey by the Nursing and Midwifery Council alleging that she had allowed an incorrect temperature to be recorded during the screening process upon returning to the UK from Sierra Leone in 2014. Following a hearing in September 2016, the charges against her were dismissed after the disciplinary panel was told that she had been impaired by illness at the time.[26]

Military health worker, 2015

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On 11 March 2015, a UK military health worker contracted the disease in Sierra Leone while volunteering as a nurse. After testing positive for Ebola she was flown home for treatment at Royal Free Hospital in London.[27] On 27 March 2015 Corporal Anna Cross, the UK military worker who tested positive for Ebola, was the first person in the world to be treated with the experimental Ebola drug MIL 77 and was released from hospital after making a full recovery. The doctors treating her at London's Royal Free Hospital confirmed it is too soon to speculate if the drug helped in her recovery.[28]

Suspected, but not confirmed incidents

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Healthcare workers who in January 2015 had sustained needlestick injuries while caring for Ebola patients abroad were put under medical observation, but not found to have contracted the Ebola virus.[29][30][31] On 16 March 2015, another UK worker had been sent back to the United Kingdom from Sierra Leone due to fear of having contracted the virus.[32] but did not test positive.

On 17 November Colchester Hospital deep cleaned after a suspected case of the 2022 Uganda Ebola outbreak,[33] which as of December was not confirmed as an Ebola case.

Public health measures

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In November 2014, Public Health England established the returning workers scheme, mandating organisations and businesses to register and provide travel details of all staff returning from Ebola affected areas before they travel back to the UK.[34]

In October 2022, the UK Health Security Agency issued a health alert asking providers to considering Ebola in the differential diagnosis of any patient with relevant symptoms returning from areas affected by the outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus in Uganda.[35]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sam Rkaina (25 August 2014). "Ebola: Last British man to survive deadly virus says public must be warned of danger". Daily Mirror.
  2. ^ Emond RT, Evans B, Bowen ET, et al. (1977). "A case of Ebola virus infection". British Medical Journal. 2 (6086): 541–544. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.6086.541. PMC 1631428. PMID 890413.
  3. ^ "Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease". CDC. 17 July 2019.
  4. ^ "British Ebola patient arrives in UK for hospital treatment". BBC News. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Ebola: British nurse makes full recovery and leaves hospital". The Week. 3 September 2014. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  6. ^ "UEA graduate to deliver Channel 4 Christmas message". 23 December 2014. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  7. ^ a b Helen Lock (19 October 2014). "Ebola outbreak: British survivor William Pooley returns to Sierra Leone to fight the disease". The Independent.
  8. ^ "Ebola case confirmed in Glasgow hospital". BBC News. 29 December 2014.
  9. ^ a b Severin Carrell; Libby Brooks; Lisa O'Carroll (29 December 2014). "Ebola case confirmed in Glasgow". The Guardian.
  10. ^ "Hero nurse Pauline Cafferkey could have contracted deadly Ebola at Christmas Day service". The Telegraph. 30 December 2014.
  11. ^ Gallagher, James (4 February 2015). "Ebola nurse infection 'down to visor'". BBC News. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  12. ^ "BBC News - Doctor travelling with Ebola nurse: Screening 'chaotic'". BBC News. 30 December 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey transferred to London unit". BBC News. 30 December 2014.
  14. ^ "BBC News - UK Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'in critical condition'". BBC News. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Ebola nurse no longer critically ill". BBC News. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
  16. ^ "Ebola nurse: Pauline Cafferkey 'happy to be alive'". BBC News. 24 January 2015.
  17. ^ "How Pauline Cafferkey's Ebola relapse tears up everything doctors thought they knew". the Guardian. 16 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Ebola caused meningitis in nurse Pauline Cafferkey". BBC News. 21 October 2015.
  19. ^ Dr Michael Jacobs (21 October 2015). Royal Free Hospital Press Conference (Television).
  20. ^ Dr Michael Jacobs (21 October 2015). Ebola-stricken nurse Pauline Cafferkey makes 'significant improvement' (Television production). Royal Free Hospital, London: Press Association. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'has made full recovery'". BBC News. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  22. ^ "Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey 'stable' after night in London hospital". BBC News. BBC. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  23. ^ "Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey discharged from hospital". BBC News. BBC. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  24. ^ "UK Ebola nurse in 'stable' condition in hospital". BBC News. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  25. ^ "Ebola scare nurse Pauline Cafferkey to spend second day in hospital". The Telegraph & Argus. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  26. ^ "UK Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey cleared of misconduct". BBC News. BBC. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  27. ^ "BBC News - UK female military health worker has Ebola". BBC News. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  28. ^ "British medic declared free of Ebola". BBC News. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  29. ^ "British health worker returned to UK for Ebola monitoring". Channel 4 News. 31 January 2015.
  30. ^ "Ebola: military healthcare worker returns to UK after needle injury". The Guardian. 31 January 2015.
  31. ^ "Second UK military Ebola worker flies back home after needlestick injury". The Guardian. 2 February 2015.
  32. ^ "BBC News - Ebola: Seventh British health worker sent home". BBC News. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  33. ^ "Hospital deep-cleaned over possible Ebola case". ITV News. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  34. ^ "Ebola: returning workers scheme (RWS)". GOV.UK. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  35. ^ "Ebola: outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus in Uganda". GOV.UK. 6 October 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

Further reading

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