An initial test shows that a nursing assistant who became infected with Ebola in Spain is now clear of all traces of the virus nearly two weeks after she was hospitalised, authorities say.
Teresa Romero, 44, is the first person known to have contracted the disease outside West Africa in the current outbreak when she tested positive for the virus October 6. She has been in quarantine at Carlos III hospital in Madrid since then.
A statement on Sunday said a blood test revealed that Romero's immune system had eliminated the virus from her body. The statement came from the Spanish government committee in charge of the nation's Ebola crisis.
A second test in the coming hours is needed to absolutely confirm Romero's recovery, said Manuel Cuenca, microbiology director at Madrid's Carlos III health care complex.
Romero had treated two patients who died of Ebola at Carlos III hospital. The first, Miguel Pajares, contracted the disease in Liberia and died on August 12 despite having been treated with the experimental drug ZMapp. The second was Manuel Garcia Viejo who died, aged 69, on September 25.
Health authorities quarantined Romero's husband and euthanised Romero's pet dog named Excalibur on October 8 instead of placing it in quarantine, creating outrage among animal rights activists.
Spain, meanwhile, has agreed to allow the US to use two military bases in the southwest of the country to support its efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
A Defence Ministry statement said the deal permits US armed forces to use the air base at Moron de la Frontera near Seville and the naval station at Rota on Spain's Atlantic coast to transport personnel and materials to and from Africa.
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