Sierra Leone's Health Minister describes Chinese Ebola aid as "phenomenal."

Sierra Leone's Health Minister describes Chinese Ebola aid as "phenomenal." HT: Crof.

Via Xinhua: Feature: Life of Chinese Ebola laboratory members in Sierra Leone. Excerpt:

China sent a 59-member contingent of medical personnel to Sierra Leone in response to calls of the country for international aid to fight the deadly Ebola epidemic. 

The mobile laboratory from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has so far tested 696 samples, with 375 positive of the virus since their arrival last month. 

The core part of the team is a group of eight people, with an average age of 35. Yang Fan and Su Haoxiang, one of the most shining duos in the team, were widely known as they have been working together as partners for four years in dealing with major epidemic outbreaks back at home. 

However, it's the first time they are confronted with Ebola, a virus requiring biosafety level 4-equivalent containment at laboratories where diagnostic testing is carried out. 

Testing in the Chinese mobile lab was based on Protection-3 platform developed by China. Medical personnel have to first inactivate the virus before the so-called PCR process to determine the nature of the sample.  

Yang, the most senior in the team, is charged with the toxin inactivation process. When Su, the youngest at the testing team, takes the sample for PCR, it is already detoxicated. 

It is therefore quite safe for Su to join Yang in the final process. Yang and Su were somewhat like the traditional master and disciple in their years of working together. 

It is common for them to have a kind of discussion following every testing process, where Su learns and matures. 

"Work in Sierra Leone will definitely be one of the most important experiences in my life," said Su. 

Sierra Leone's Health Minister Abu Bakarr Fofanah has described the Chinese aid as "phenomenal." 

He noted that China had airlifted 1.36 million dollars' worth of anti-Ebola drugs followed by a contingent of medical personnel. 

In addition, the Chinese Embassy also converted the Sierra Leone-Chinese Friendship Hospital, about 30 km east of Freetown, to a hospital capable of handling cases of highly infectious diseases like Ebola, said the minister. 

He said with Chinese aid, the country can now boast of a 100-bed hospital facility in the capital, Freetown, that can be readily "transformed to a management and treatment center."

NJ official: Female health care worker who'd been in Africa isolated with fever, symptoms have worsened.

NJ official: Female health care worker who'd been in Africa isolated with fever, symptoms have worsened. (CNN).

One day after New York officials announced a Doctors Without Borders physician had tested positive for Ebola, another person who treated patients in West Africa developed a fever and was put in isolation at a northern New Jersey hospital.

The second health care worker, a woman who hasn't been identified by name, did not have any Ebola symptoms upon arrival Friday at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey health department spokesman Donna Leusner said.

Yet things changed in the hours that followed. According to Leusner, "This evening, the health care worker developed a fever and is now in isolation and being evaluated at University Hospital in Newark." That woman is being tested for Ebola, according to a government official who is receiving updates about the situation.

Unlike Dr. Craig Spencer, the 33-year-old now in isolation at Bellevue Hospital in nearby New York City, this second health care worker is not confirmed to have Ebola. Read the full story here.

#BREAKING: Sources tell @abcnews #Newark patient's symptoms have worsened. #Ebola test results likely tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/HONyMNnY6C
— G.Alexander(BRKNEWS) (@MajorNews911) October 25, 2014

Texas Based carnival cruise ship stuck at sea near Belize, Possible Ebola nurse on board.

Texas Based carnival cruise ship stuck at sea near Belize, Possible Ebola nurse on board. (Belizean)

Reports tonight are that two individuals possibly infected with the Ebola virus are in Belizean waters. 

Local TV station Channel 7 monitored in the capital City Of Belmopan tonight, reported having credible reports that a couple from a Texas-based cruise ship presently anchored off Belize City, is on a ship tender, unable to return to the cruise ship, while being refused entry to Belize City to catch an air ambulance awaiting at the International Airport to take them to the their country of origin, the U.S.A.

The television station in its broadcast tonight said Belize health authorities contacted tonight have so far refused to deny or confirm the report. The patient exhibiting Ebola symptoms has been confirmed to be a nurse at a Dallas hospital traveling with her husband.

Later tonight in breaking news, Channel 5 Belize reported that it has:

“Confirmed with representatives of the Ministry of Health that they have indeed received a report that there is at least one passenger on board the cruise ship, Carnival Magic, showing symptoms similar to that of the Ebola virus. According to the report made to MOH, the person exhibiting the symptoms did not come ashore today. The ship is reportedly carrying 3652 passengers and a total population of 4633 persons.

“The Carnival Magic departed from Galveston Texas on Sunday, October 12 arrived in Mahogany Bay, Honduras on Wednesday October 15 and arrived in Belize this morning, Thursday October 16.

“The ship was scheduled to leave Belize en route to Cozumel this evening at 5pm. However, it is still anchored in Belizean waters near State Bank Caye.”

“We have also have confirmed that the Belize Coast Guard has been deployed to prevent anyone from leaving the ship; including the Belizean pilot on board.”

Channel 7 news anchor Indira Craig has posted on her Facebook page that Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow in a callous move in view of very close Belize-U.S. relations, has denied entry into Belize for the stricken U.S. nationals to be air lifted to the U.S.A. for treatment:

“Talks have concluded with the PM and The US State Department officials. Belize WILL NOT BE GRANTING ACCESS to the suspected passengers to have entry onto our shores. An official release will be sent out shortly by government followed by a press conference to be held tomorrow.Passports have been returned so this scare has ended.”

In a late night official press release issued by the Belize Press Office, the Belize government offered its version of the Belize Ebola Incident.It stresses that while the patient did not disembark in Belize, it does not address the question that thousands of cruise ship passengers that may have had contact with the patient(s) did in fact disembark and tour Belize City today. More here from WAPO.