US judge says nurse can leave home in Ebola row

Ruling the latest twist in a bitter row over enforced quarantine of American medics returning from West Africa

A US judge has ruled that a nurse quarantined by her home state after treating Ebola patients could leave home and frequent public places, saying she was not infectious.

The decision from a district judge in the northeastern state of Maine is the latest twist in a bitter row over enforced quarantine of American medics returning from relief work in West Africa.

It reversed a temporary order that prevented her from visiting cinemas and shopping centres, and demanded she keep three feet away from others while Judge Charles LaVerdiere examined the case.

Kaci Hickox insists that she is perfectly healthy and has fought efforts of US authorities to keep her in quarantine for 21 days, the incubation period for the virus, since returning home.

Maine went to court to force her to stay at home in the town of Fort Kent. On Thursday, she went out for a bike ride with her boyfriend, tailed by TV cameras and the police.

"The state has not met its burden at this time to prove by clear and convincing evidence that limiting respondent's movements to the degree requested is 'necessary to protect other individuals,'" LaVerdiere wrote in the ruling yesterday.

He said Hickox must continue with direct active monitoring, coordinate her travel with public health authorities and notify them immediately if any symptom for the killer virus appears.

The judge also told Hickox to "demonstrate her full understanding of human nature and the real fear" that exists over the deadly virus, which has so far infected nine Americans.

"She should guide herself accordingly," he wrote.

Experts say quarantining medical professionals who have shown no symptoms of the disease is counter-productive and could deter other US workers from helping in West Africa's Ebola crisis.