DOCTORS at a hospital in north-west London have begun treating a Briton who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone.
The man has been named as William Pooley, a 29-year-old volunteer nurse, by a US scientist who worked with him.
Mr Pooley was flown to RAF Northolt in a specially-equipped military aircraft on Sunday and taken under police escort to Hampstead's Royal Free Hospital.
He volunteered to go to west Africa to care for victims of the Ebola outbreak which has killed almost 1,500 people.
It is the first confirmed case of a Briton contracting the virus during the current outbreak.
Mr Pooley was flown out of Sierra Leone's main airport in Lungi, in an RAF C-17 transport aircraft.
He will be treated in a specialist isolation unit for patients with highly infectious disease, the only one of its kind in Europe.
A special tent ensures medical staff can interact with the patient but are separated by plastic and rubber. It has a ventilation unit that cleans air before it is released into the atmosphere.
Mr Pooley was described by a colleague in Kenema district, Robert F Garry, as a "remarkable young man and a natural leader".
There is no cure for Ebola but with treatment of the symptoms, and proper hydration, patients have a chance of survival.
Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Nottingham University, said there would be immediate testing to ensure all organs were functioning.
"He really is in the best place and will have the best possible care," he said.
Last week, two Americans who had contracted the disease in Liberia made a recovery and were discharged from hospital after being given an experimental drug called ZMapp in the US.
Officials in Liberia also said three medical staff have shown signs of improvement after taking the drug.
The US manufacturer of ZMapp has said supplies of the drug are exhausted, but the Department of Health said it was working to source any remaining doses.
Department of Health deputy chief medical officer Prof John Watson has said the risk of Ebola to the UK remains "very low".
The World Health Organization has estimated 2,615 people in west Africa have been infected with Ebola since March.
Health officials have reported the first cases outside west Africa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The virus is spread between humans through direct contact with infected bloodily fluids. It is one of the world's deadliest diseases, with up to 90% of cases resulting in death.
A statement from Sierra Leone's health ministry said the Briton had been volunteering at a clinic in Kenema.
The man has been named as William Pooley, a 29-year-old volunteer nurse, by a US scientist who worked with him.
Mr Pooley was flown to RAF Northolt in a specially-equipped military aircraft on Sunday and taken under police escort to Hampstead's Royal Free Hospital.
He volunteered to go to west Africa to care for victims of the Ebola outbreak which has killed almost 1,500 people.
It is the first confirmed case of a Briton contracting the virus during the current outbreak.
Mr Pooley was flown out of Sierra Leone's main airport in Lungi, in an RAF C-17 transport aircraft.
He will be treated in a specialist isolation unit for patients with highly infectious disease, the only one of its kind in Europe.
A special tent ensures medical staff can interact with the patient but are separated by plastic and rubber. It has a ventilation unit that cleans air before it is released into the atmosphere.
Mr Pooley was described by a colleague in Kenema district, Robert F Garry, as a "remarkable young man and a natural leader".
There is no cure for Ebola but with treatment of the symptoms, and proper hydration, patients have a chance of survival.
Prof Jonathan Ball, a virologist at Nottingham University, said there would be immediate testing to ensure all organs were functioning.
"He really is in the best place and will have the best possible care," he said.
Last week, two Americans who had contracted the disease in Liberia made a recovery and were discharged from hospital after being given an experimental drug called ZMapp in the US.
Officials in Liberia also said three medical staff have shown signs of improvement after taking the drug.
The US manufacturer of ZMapp has said supplies of the drug are exhausted, but the Department of Health said it was working to source any remaining doses.
Department of Health deputy chief medical officer Prof John Watson has said the risk of Ebola to the UK remains "very low".
The World Health Organization has estimated 2,615 people in west Africa have been infected with Ebola since March.
Health officials have reported the first cases outside west Africa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The virus is spread between humans through direct contact with infected bloodily fluids. It is one of the world's deadliest diseases, with up to 90% of cases resulting in death.
A statement from Sierra Leone's health ministry said the Briton had been volunteering at a clinic in Kenema.
