Ebola: Spain probes whether 'tainted glove' infected nurse
- 10 years ago
Spanish authorities are investigating whether a tainted protective glove could have infected an auxiliary nurse who had been treating two stricken patients at a hospital in Madrid.
Both of the Spanish missionaries later died from Ebola.
‘We have been analysing the process of taking off the suit and what she did while she stayed in the room,” said tropical illness specialist, Dr German Ramirez Olivenza, who has been speaking to the afflicted nurse, Teresa Romero.
“She told me that at some point the suit could have touched her face…We just wanted to know if there was any mistake in the process of putting on and taking off the suit.”
Medical staff have been demonstrating to demand more information about how their colleague caught Ebola. They are concerned for their own safety, too.
Many believe that adequate procedures were not in place when the two infected priests were repatriated from Africa.
“I don’t think they are doing things correctly,” said nurse Jennifer Medina. “They haven’t from the start. We’ve been treated like fools. All this talk about bringing Ebola patients here for treatment. They haven’t looked after the health of medical personnel. They haven’t looked after the public’s health. They have just done what they wanted -to look good. There is no other explanation. Now, hopefully, this woman will get better, and there won’t be any more infected people.”
But as specialist teams work to ensure the nurse’s apartment is Ebola-free, she remains in hospital with her husband who is there for monitoring along with several of her medical colleagues. In all, dozens of people are now under observation.
Both of the Spanish missionaries later died from Ebola.
‘We have been analysing the process of taking off the suit and what she did while she stayed in the room,” said tropical illness specialist, Dr German Ramirez Olivenza, who has been speaking to the afflicted nurse, Teresa Romero.
“She told me that at some point the suit could have touched her face…We just wanted to know if there was any mistake in the process of putting on and taking off the suit.”
Medical staff have been demonstrating to demand more information about how their colleague caught Ebola. They are concerned for their own safety, too.
Many believe that adequate procedures were not in place when the two infected priests were repatriated from Africa.
“I don’t think they are doing things correctly,” said nurse Jennifer Medina. “They haven’t from the start. We’ve been treated like fools. All this talk about bringing Ebola patients here for treatment. They haven’t looked after the health of medical personnel. They haven’t looked after the public’s health. They have just done what they wanted -to look good. There is no other explanation. Now, hopefully, this woman will get better, and there won’t be any more infected people.”
But as specialist teams work to ensure the nurse’s apartment is Ebola-free, she remains in hospital with her husband who is there for monitoring along with several of her medical colleagues. In all, dozens of people are now under observation.