Second UK military Ebola worker flies back home after needlestick injury

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/02/second-ebola-worker-uk-needlestick-royal-free-diagnosis

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A second UK military healthcare worker has been flown back to England after probable exposure to Ebola via a needlestick injury while treating someone with the virus in Sierra Leone.

Public Health England said the worker had been admitted to the Royal Free hospital in London after arrival on Monday and is undergoing an assessment.

The worker has not been diagnosed with Ebola and does not have symptoms, PHE added.

It comes after a British military healthcare worker arrived back in England on Saturday for monitoring after suffering a needlestick injury, also in Sierra Leone. Officials said there was no risk to public health and that the two cases appeared to be unrelated.

Prof Paul Cosford, Public Health England’s director for health protection, said: “We can confirm that all the appropriate support is being offered to this individual and that strict protocols have been followed to transfer them back to the UK.

“We would like to emphasise that there is no risk to the general public’s health. Our thoughts are with both of the healthcare workers and their families affected at this time.”

Mark Francois, minister for the armed forces, said: “This is entirely a precautionary measure and our priority is the wellbeing of the individual involved. Their family has been informed and will receive all possible support from the government.

“Although we have had two similar incidents within a short space of time, both appear to be unrelated. Our personnel receive the highest standard of training and briefing prior to deployment, including on the use of the specialised personal protective equipment.

“On a visit to the country before Christmas, I witnessed first-hand the bravery and commitment of the personnel who are doing such a fantastic job in Sierra Leone. Their efforts are deserving of the highest praise and we wish all the best for their two colleagues who are now in the UK.”

The second healthcare worker arrived back in Britain on an RAF flight and has been admitted to the UK’s only specialist high-level isolation unit, at the Royal Free hospital. The worker will be monitored for the remainder of their 21-day incubation period, in line with procedures for returning healthcare workers.

The hospital in Hampstead, north London, said: “We can confirm that a second UK military healthcare worker has been admitted to the Royal Free hospital today following a needlestick injury while working in Sierra Leone.

“The individual has been admitted to the Royal Free hospital for assessment. The individual is likely to have been exposed to Ebola virus but has not been diagnosed with Ebola and does not have symptoms.”

In a separate development, Liberia began a trial of experimental Ebola vaccines on Monday, involving thousands of volunteers as part of an effort to slow the spread of the disease and prevent future outbreaks.

The epidemic has killed more than 8,800 people in west Africa since it began more than a year ago, overwhelming weak healthcare systems in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Its spread now appears to be slowing, especially in Liberia, which currently has just a handful of cases.

The trial to test two vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline and New Link/Merck began at the government-run Redemption hospital in Monrovia.

Scientists say the study, a final stage trial which hopes to involve 27,000 volunteers at the heart of the epidemic after safety trials in the UK, US and other African countries, could be a turning point in the fight against the deadly virus.