The charity Save the Children has promised to leave 'no stone unturned' in its probe into how British nurse Pauline Cafferkey contracted Ebola. The nurse, from South Lanarkshire, Scotland, had been working at a treatment centre with the charity in Kerrytown, Sierra Leone. The 39-year-old is fighting for her life in a specialist isolation unit where her condition has deteriorated. Save the Children's Sierra Leone Director Rob MacGillavray told the BBC would carry out a special investigation. He said: "Because of this very serious event we have put in an extraordinary review to ensure that we do everything, leave no stone unturned, to be able to as far as possible identify the source of this infection." Mr MacGillavray said a key element of the investigation would look at how protective equipment at the treatment centre is used. Help: Ms Cafferkey had been working at an Ebola treatment centre Dr Martin Wiselka, a consultant in infectious diseases, said the next few days for Ms Cafferkey are criticial. He explained: What tends to happen with Ebola is you end up with organ failure. That is a risk. Another of the things that happens is your blood clotting becomes difficult. See the original … Continue reading →

Q: My boss got laid off, and now I work for a jerk. My son is struggling with asthma, my husband works long, erratic hours for less than he did five years ago, and our health insurance deductible just tripled. Sometimes I think my head will explode! I can't afford to slow down, but I don't want to lose it. Any suggestions? Sally P., Akron, Ohio A: You actually can "lose it" if you're under chronic stress, and that's not a joke. That's why it's important to act promptly to relieve the pressure you feel. Your response to chronic stress can cause a cascade of bodily reactions that trigger brain inflammation, which can lead to mental health problems. Out-of-control stress responses also fuel heart disease and indirectly can increase your risk for some cancers. That said, you have to take a step back and realize: You are not stuck! Even if you cannot change the particulars of your situation, you can change how you react to stressors and how they affect your physical and mental health. So here's a simple three-step plan. Follow it until it becomes an everyday habit. You will get calmer, have more energy and feel more … Continue reading →

The first patients have been successfully discharged from an Australian-run Ebola treatment facility in Sierra Leone. An 11-year-old girl, Aminata Bangura, was the first person to be released from the clinic with a clean bill of health. She was collected from the clinic by family members last week. Before she left, Aminata placed her hand on a wall at the clinic set up to display the hand prints of Ebola survivors who have been treated there. "Aminata is the first to have her hand print on the wall," Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told reporters in Perth on Tuesday. Advertisement Ms Bishop said Aminata had lost eight members of her family to Ebola. Two other patients have since been discharged from the facility, at Hastings Airfield, near Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. The clinic has admitted 37 patients since it opened in mid-December. Of these, eight have died and 26 are currently receiving treatment. The facility was built by the British government and is being operated on Australia's behalf by healthcare company Aspen Medical. It is being staffed by a mix of Sierra Leonean workers and 32 Australian and New Zealand health professionals. Four other Australians have already returned home … Continue reading →