Ebola scare: Cardiff patient tests NEGATIVE
A PATIENT at a Cardiff hospital believed to be suffering from Ebola has tested NEGATIVE for the killer virus, officials have confirmed.
The patient is believed to be from Barry, in south Wales, and reportedly has a history of travel to West Africa – the epicentre of the deadly viral outbreak.
It is important to remember that, to date, only one case of Ebola has been identified in the UK and there has been none in Wales
Last night, the unnamed patient was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales with symptoms of the disease.
However, following tests, Public Health Wales has now confirmed the cause of the illness was not Ebola.
Director of health protection at Public Health Wales, Marion Lyons, said: "It is important to remember that, to date, only one case of Ebola has been identified in the UK and there has been none in Wales."
Although there has yet to be a confirmed case of Ebola in Wales, there have been a number of scares.
Engineer Stephen Powell, from Pontypridd, was taken to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital near Llantrisant in January after showing flu-like symptoms.
The 53-year-old had been working in Sierra Leone between September and December last year where he was helping to build specialist Ebola hospitals.
The father-of-two was put into isolation as a precaution while tests were conducted, but results later tested negative for the disease.
Symptoms for Ebola include diarrhoea, intense weakness, vomiting and stomach pain.
As the infection begins to spread, the symptoms then include bleeding internally and from the ears, eyes, nose or mouth.
Ebola is transmitted via contact with the blood, bodily fluids or organs of an infected person.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) released a statement yesterday commending the United Kingdom for being "now free of Ebola virus disease".
Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey remains the only Ebola case confirmed in the UK.
However, 29-year-old Briton William Pooley was evacuated from Sierra Leone to be treated at the Royal Free Hospital, in London.
Since the outbreak started in March last year, more than 9,800 have died of Ebola.
