Ebola crisis: Spanish nurse tests negative for virus

The Spanish nurse who was the first person to contract Ebola outside of Africa has now tested negative for the virus.

A Government spokesperson has said that tests indicate the virus is no longer in her body. Although a further test will be carried out tomorrow in order to confirm that this is the case.

This is positive news if this is the correct and hopefully the nurse in Dallas will have the same negative results in a week or so.

I think this demonstrates that with the right care, we may be able to contain it in the west. Well, here's hoping anyway.

www.bbc.co.uk...

Just saw this too, CNN and some other big outlets are reporting the same.

Hope it's true. Don't know how it's possible if it's only been 2 weeks of treatment, wouldn't the antibodies register as virus? I recall reading about how certain tests can differentiate between live, replicating virus and the antigens. False negative is also a possibility. Fingers crossed this isn't political as Spain has been receiving plenty of heat on their protocol lately as well.

It could be that patients in Africa are more likely to die of dehydration die to the hot temperatures and the lack of fresh water. While rather overweight white Europeans have more body fat that can be converted into water when necessary (which is how body fat is eliminated and removed from the body).

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

Strange, because after the Reston Ebola debacle, the monkey caretakers were found to have been exposed to Reston, although they never got sick with it. I presume that means at least Ebola antibodies were found in their blood.

How is it possible to say an entire human body is now 'free of any viruses' when bodies are big, and viruses are infinitesimally small?

Or are all these 'western' victims not really sick with Ebola at all, since we are seeing absolutely NO evidence that they are; in fact, they all look pretty hunky-dory a few weeks after having been declared in 'grave' condition. Once Ebola, the real Ebola, gets a hold of you, your organs start liquefying and your skin develops blood blisters after a mere touch. Kinda hard to look good a few weeks later after THAT happens..

a reply to: stormcell

I have said all along that the conditions in Africa could be a contributory factor to the number of deaths, but I guess only time will tell.

A second test will be carried out tomorrow, so hopefully this will confirm for sure?

This is good news. I too hope that this disease becomes just another disease that can be easily treated here in America. We need to slow the spread of this so the hospitals will not get overwhelmed with cases. If people are scared to go around the hospitals they will die from other conditions that could have easily been taken care of. In this case, the fear of getting Ebola can cause someone's death. What do you blame this on, the Ebola or the condition they died of?

a reply to: rickymouse

I would blame it on the inept Government and their advisors who appear clueless and the scaremongering media.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I too hope that this disease becomes just another disease that can be easily treated here in America.

I'd have to respectfully disagree with you there.

I NEVER want Ebola to be just another disease easily treated here in America, we should never want that for our loved ones and our Country. I hope it can become eradicated ASAP.


Good to hear the nurse is doing well.

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
The Spanish nurse who was the first person to contract Ebola outside of Africa has now tested negative for the virus.

A Government spokesperson has said that tests indicate the virus is no longer in her body. Although a further test will be carried out tomorrow in order to confirm that this is the case.

This is positive news if this is the correct and hopefully the nurse in Dallas will have the same negative results in a week or so.

I think this demonstrates that with the right care, we may be able to contain it in the west. Well, here's hoping anyway.

www.bbc.co.uk...

S&F for the update. I'll include a link to your thread.

originally posted by: ValentineWiggin

originally posted by: rickymouse
I too hope that this disease becomes just another disease that can be easily treated here in America.

I'd have to respectfully disagree with you there.

I NEVER want Ebola to be just another disease easily treated here in America, we should never want that for our loved ones and our Country. I hope it can become eradicated ASAP.


Good to hear the nurse is doing well.

It is going to get here being the conditions we are working with. The travel all over the world will make it impossible to stop the spread of this disease. If the governments quarantined the area for a while, then it would not spread and it would give us more time to learn to combat it. That is not happening.

This strain is different than the worst ones. Even in Africa, it only manifests with hemorrhagic syndrome in about 18% of cases as compared to 30 to 50% of the other strains. But, it still takes a terrible toll on your body, and it can cause a number of issues that you need advanced care to help you have a chance to survive, and yes, dehydration is a major problem because of the diarrhea and vomiting.

Still, it should trouble you that the best Western medicine can basically do is hook you up to support care and machines to try to cushion your body and basically stand back, cross their fingers and hope you are both strong and don't get a bad case of the virus.

Is that what you want?

a reply to: ketsuko

Not ideal granted, but apparently it's the best we've got at the moment.

Interesting to know there are several strains doing the rounds, and lucky for this nurse that it doesn't appear to be a hemorrhagic strain she contracted.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978

Oh, no, she got a strain that can be hemorrhagic. It just didn't get that bad. Not every disease manifests every symptom all the time in every case.

There are any number of factors that can make any case of an illness better or worse for any individual who happens to get it. Every case will be different. This nurse got lucky is all. She got a mild case that never got as bad as it can get. Her immune system fought it off without going overboard, and she got good supportive care early enough. Perhaps she had some experimental drugs, too.

Regardless, We don't know just how sick she got, just like we don't know just how sick Mukpo is or how sick Vinson is. We know that Pham looked to be in good shape and in good spirits. But, apparently, the situation with Duncan was ugly.