A funeral mass has been held in Madrid for Father Miguel Pajares was the first European to die of the deadly Ebola virus. The missionary’s body was cremated on Tuesday after he failed to respond to treatment with an experimental drug.
He had returned from Liberia last week and was treated in Madrid where he died. Officials were quick to stress that strict health procedures had been followed.
“The procedure has demonstrated we have an alert system that works perfectly, that we have protocols that are followed and there is good coordination. But unfortunately today the results which we had hoped for have not been favourable because the medicine we brought to Spain did not work,” Ana Mato, Spanish Health Minister told reporters.
The Ivory Coast is the latest country to impose travel restrictions banning flights from Liberia and Guinea. Authorities have also announced increased health inspections at the country’s borders.
Germany has urged its nationals to leave Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The move comes after a meeting on Wednesday by the government’s crisis management group to discuss the threat of the Ebola virus.
The outbreak of the virus is the world’s largest and deadliest. To date more than 1,000 people have died.
