Ebola-infected Spanish nurse in critical but stable condition

Teresa Romero, the 44-year-old Spanish nursing auxiliary infected with the Ebola virus, remains in a critical but stable condition, according to the latest reports Saturday.

Romero, the first person to become infected with the virus outside of Africa, is being treated on the sixth floor of the Carlos III Hospital in Madrid, where she has spent the past five days after being confirmed as having been infected by the virus last Monday.

She is currently undergoing a range of treatments, which include the experimental ZMapp serum, which has produced positive results against the virus, a serum made from the blood of a survivor or Ebola and an anti-virus drug, Xinhua reported.

Her condition had deteriorated Thursday and she was described as being in a "very critical" condition, although that has apparently stabilised over the past 48 hours.

As well as Romero. 16 more people are now under observation at the Carlos III Hospital, which was visited by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Friday.

None of these 16 people has shown any symptoms yet of the Ebola virus, but are under observation after possible exposure to the virus. Among those 16 is the doctor who first treated Romero when she developed early signs of the illness.

These patients are on the fourth and fifth floors of the hospital and it has been confirmed that the third floor of the building is also being prepared for further possible arrivals.

Friday saw the Spanish government announce the creation of a "crisis cabinet" which includes the ministers of health, defence, the interior, presidency, economy and justice, as well as representatives of regional health authorities and the Carlos III Hospital, with other experts who can be called on when needed. This cabinet will be presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria.

Meanwhile Spain's autonomous communities have agreed to modify their protocols for dealing with Ebola.