Ebola fight nurse has ‘stabilised’
But Pauline (39) remains critical
A brave Cambuslang nurse who contracted Ebola on a charity mission remains critically ill in hospital, but her condition has stabilised.
Pauline Cafferkey, of Lightburn Road in Halfway, contracted the virus after travelling to Sierra Leone with charity Save the Children to treat victims of the deadly disease.
A nurse for 16 years, she is normally based at Blantyre Health Centre and is an associate public health nurse.
Pauline (39) flew to Freetown in November after nine days’ training along with four other Scottish medical volunteers.
She is currently being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
On Monday, January 5, UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Commons that her condition had deteriorated on Saturday, but had since stabilised and she continued to receive treatment.
As the Reformer went to press, there were no further updates from the Royal Free Hospital.
Although Pauline, originally from Cowdenbeath, was allowed to travel home in a taxi, a Scottish Government spokesperson moved to allay fears that the virus could be present in Cambuslang.
He said: “We want to reassure people that the risk of catching Ebola is very, very low. It can only be transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids, for example blood or vomit, of an infected individual.
“Pauline Cafferkey was isolated at a very early stage of the illness and so the risk of onward transmission is negligible. Every person who had direct contact with her before she was admitted to hospital has already been contacted and given specific advice.
“Those who have not travelled to a country with an Ebola outbreak, or had close contact with someone who has Ebola, should continue to follow normal arrangements if unwell, and are advised to dial 111.”
A colleague of Pauline’s from the Blantyre Health Centre, who asked not to be named, said: “Everyone here has been so full of admiration for what she did, by going over to try and help.
“We all hope and pray that she makes a full recovery.”
Neighbours of the brave Cambuslang nurse who contracted Ebola have commended her bravery for going to Sierre Leone to fight the deadly virus.
Support has poured in from the community for courageous Pauline Cafferkey (39) who, as the Reformer went to press, was described as being in a critical but stable condition at the Royal Free Hospital in London.
Residents who live in the same block of flats as Pauline on Lightburn Road all commended her bravery for going to the West African country to fight the deadly disease.
Debbie McLinden (40) said “I hope to God she makes a full recovery. She was so brave to go out there and try to help people.
“She was very quiet, I would see her in the hall though and she would always say hello, she seemed very nice.
“I actually saw her in the hall the day she left, she seemed quite excited. She had her big backpack on.”
Jean (74) and Eddie (76) Leishman didn’t know Pauline, but also commended her bravery. Jean said: “She’s an angel, we just hope she recovers. We didn’t know her, but everyone in the block seems to like her.”
Bernard Ponsonby ( 78) also commended her courage and said: “She’s a very nice girl, a terrific neighbour, you never had any trouble with her.”
In the Scottish Parliament yesterday (Tuesday, January 6), Rutherglen MSP James Kelly said: “I want to pay tribute to my constituent Pauline Cafferkey whose courage and compassion sets an example to us all. My thoughts are with her and her family and I hope she makes a full recovery.”
Rutherglen and Cambuslang MP Tom Greatrex also praised Pauline in the Houses of Parliament and said: “Having spoken to a number of those who she treated and her colleagues over the past few days I’m sure the House will appreciate there is a huge amount of support and concern for her locally and also a huge amount of admiration of the work she was doing in Sierra Leone as an NHS volunteer.”
Tom questioned the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt on the screening process for people returning from countries where Ebola infection is high.
Mr Hunt said that Pauline was a “remarkable lady” and that although he was satisfied the “right clinical procedures” had been followed, it could have been “better organised”.
I saw her in the hall the day she left, she seemed quite excited