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Nurse who survived deadly Ebola is back in hospital

'Very low risk to the public' say doctors

A Scottish nurse who made headlines following her miraculous recovery from Ebola has suffered complications and been readmitted to hospital.

Pauline Cafferkey, 39, went to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow on Tuesday (October 6) after feeling unwell and was immediately treated in the infectious diseases unit.

In the early hours of Friday morning she was transferred to the Royal Free Hospital in London, where she is being cared for by specialists with experience of treating patients who have previously contracted Ebola.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde director of public health Emilia Crighton said: ‘Pauline's condition is a complication of previous infection with the Ebola virus.

‘The risk to the public is very low.  In line with normal procedures in cases such as this, we have identified a small number of close contacts of Pauline's that we will be following up as a precaution.’

Ms Cafferkey contracted the deadly infection from a visor while she was working at a Save the Children treatment centre in Kerry Town, Sierra Leone in December.

She complained of feeling unwell at Heathrow Airport but was allowed to return to Glasgow before her condition worsened and she was then forced to spend three weeks in isolation at the Royal Free.

Only last week she was in London receiving an award at the Pride of Britain ceremony which recognised the risks aid workers took with their own health.

There are not thought to be any concerns about contact she had with people at the event but health officials in Scotland are focusing on who she saw since her return home.

The World Health Organization (WHO) admits not much is known about the long-term implications after having Ebola.