Ebola scare: Healthcare worker back from Sierra Leone stable in Christchurch Hospital

A returned healthcare worker is being tested to rule out Ebola. The patient has recently been in Sierra Leone as part of New Zealand's contribution to the international response to Ebola.

A Southland healthcare worker at the centre of an Ebola scare is in a stable condition in Christchurch Hospital.

The worker is being tested for the deadly and contagious disease after becoming unwell five days after leaving the west African nation of Sierra Leone, where they had been working as part of New Zealand's contribution to the international response to Ebola.

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said this afternoon the worker was able to walk to the rescue helicopter, which flew them to Christchurch Hospital in an iso-pod patient transfer unit. The unit is used for the transportation of potentially infectious patients.

"The patient has settled in well after being admitted to hospital ... [and] is receiving medical care in one of the dedicated specialist medical isolation rooms in the hospital."Blood samples are being sent to Melbourne today and, after clearing customs, will be taken to the Victoria Infectious Disease Reference Laboratory.

Results are expected tomorrow. The healthcare worker's partner - the only person in direct contact with them during the potentially infectious period - was continuing to self-monitor at home, Mr Coleman said. A rescue helicopter from Northland, believed to be the only one in the country equipped with a specialist Iso-pod patient transfer unit, picked up the patient last night.

It landed on the road outside Christchurch Hospital, which was cordoned off, in the early hours of this morning, and did not use the usual helipad. The patient was not feeling especially ill and did not require assistance to walk inside the hospital, a source from inside Christchurch Hospital said.

"[The patient] was not feeling that sick but knew something was wrong, and given where they had just come from, felt that they had to report it," the source said.

The patient is said to be in a stable condition in a dedicated specialist medical isolation room, which is also used for other infectious diseases, including measles.

Surrounding rooms were cleared and patients moved to other areas of the hospital before the patient was admitted.

The room is believed to be a standard isolation unit, with no windows, and the air filtered. A high level of security was in the area, the source said. Staff going into the area are required to wear white, almost transparent, hooded suits.

The source said the staff had been well prepared for a possible Ebola case and were well trained.

"The procedures kicked in to place yesterday evening and it all went pretty smoothly. Everyone was very calm. Now it's very much business as usual for most of the staff."

Hospital staff were advised that a suspected Ebola case would be admitted last night, around the same time as a media release was issued.

Ebola is transmitted through contact with blood and other body fluids, and those affected are only infectious once they are showing symptoms.