An elderly missionary became the first Ebola patient to arrive in Europe for treatment early Thursday after Spain's government flew him back from Liberia. A medically-equipped Airbus A310 transported Miguel Pajares, a 75-year-old Roman Catholic priest, to Torrejón Air Base outside Madrid, the country’s defense ministry said.
Parajes was helping treat people infected with Ebola in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, and is one of three who tested positive at the city's San Jose de Monrovia Hospital, according to The Associated Press. He will be treated at a hospital in Madrid but public health general director Mercedes Vinuesa did not tell reporters which one. Liberia is the hardest-hit country in the current Ebola outbreak that has killed almost 1,000 people. On Wednesday, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf declared a nationwide state of emergency.
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- Alexander Smith
The Associated Press contributed to this report.