News: The nursing assistant hit with Ebola in Spain is now clear of the virus

An initial test shows that a nursing assistant who became infected with Ebola in Spain is now clear of all traces of the virus nearly two weeks after she was hospitalized, authorities said Sunday. 

Teresa Romero, 44, is the first person known to have contracted the disease outside West Africa in the current outbreak when she tested positive for the virus Oct. 6. She has been in quarantine at Carlos III hospital in Madrid since then. A statement Sunday said a blood test revealed that Romero's immune system had eliminated the virus from her body. The statement came from the Spanish government committee in charge of the nation's Ebola crisis. A second test in the coming hours is needed to absolutely confirm Romero's recovery, said Manuel Cuenca, microbiology director at Madrid's Carlos III health care complex. 
Romero had treated two patients who died of Ebola at Carlos III hospital. The first, Miguel Pajares, contracted the disease in Liberia and died on Aug. 12, despite having been treated with the experimental drug ZMapp. The second was Manuel Garcia Viejo who died at the age of 69 on Sept. 25. 
Health authorities quarantined Romero's husband and euthanized Romero's pet dog, Excalibur, on Oct. 8 instead of placing it in quarantine, creating outrage among animal rights activists. 
Spain, meanwhile, has agreed to allow the United States to use two military bases in the southwest of the country to support its efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.