Ebola nurse is not contagious

BEST PROTECTION: Whangarei nurse Donna Collins all suited up to care for Ebola victims.

Public concern over return from Sierra Leone unfounded

Northlanders have been reassured that a Northland nurse and midwife who has returned from volunteering to care for Ebola victims in Sierra Leone is not contagious.

Northland DHB medical officer of health Clair Mills said that, after fielding calls from concerned members of the public, it appeared that people had been misinformed.

"Donna's a great example of a caring, humanitarian worker. All the correct steps were taken to ensure she poses no risk to anyone in Northland," Dr Mills said.

Ms Collins, a midwife and women's health nurse at Whangarei Hospital, was one of a large team of international nurses and humanitarian aid specialists sent by New Zealand Red Cross to work for the International Federation of Red Cross at a purpose-built Ebola treatment centre near Kenema, Sierra Leone's third-biggest city.

She was one of only two New Zealanders in the team who were responsible for setting up and operating the treatment centre on a site the size of two football fields, shaved out of jungle in a matter of weeks.

When she and Wellington nurse Sharon Mackie arrived in Sierra Leone the death rate was about 70 per cent, but had now fallen to about 55 per cent. The nurses had signed up for three weeks, but had asked for an extension because "we still had a job to do".

Upon returning home Ms Collins underwent 21 days of daily health monitoring, longer than World Health Organisation and Ministry of Health recommendations, before returning to work.

The Ministry of Health assessment is that the risk to New Zealand from Ebola remains low, and health and border authorities are well prepared.

Ebola is not easy to catch; it is not spread through the air, and is not as infectious as the flu or measles. Infection requires direct contact with infected body fluids such as blood. People with Ebola are not infectious until they are displaying symptoms.

Border screening is already in place for individuals arriving from West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, similar to controls in place in comparable countries.

Anyone who arrives in New Zealand having visited West African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak in the previous month is screened for symptoms of the disease, and where necessary given a health assessment by a public health officer. Since screening was introduced early in August, 58 people have been screened but none have been of concern.

The Ministry of health says that in the "very unlikely" event that there was a case of Ebola in New Zealand, it would likely be an isolated case, while existing isolation facilities and infection control protocols at New Zealand hospitals were suitable for treating a suspected or confirmed case of Ebola. Given the serious nature of the disease, samples would be sent to a high-security reference laboratory overseas for testing.

The ministry advises any traveller who feels unwell after returning home to call their GP, nurse or Healthline (on 0800 611-116).

The incubation period for Ebola is most commonly eight to 10 days, but can be as little as two. The longest incubation period reported is 21 days. Ms Collins and Ms Mackie had been well, and were now past the 21-day monitoring period.