Suspected Ebola case at the Pentagon thwarts meeting between Spanish and US defence ministers

Pedro Morenés (pictured) was planning to discuss using North American-owned air-bases in Morón de la Frontera (Sevilla) and Rota (Cádiz) for refuelling and resting pilots and crew en route to west African countries affected by the deadly haemorrhagic virus in order to deliver medical supplies to help in the fight against the disease.

But just before the meeting was about to start at 18.15hrs on Friday local time (01.15hrs this morning in mainland Spain), a woman who had not long returned from Africa suddenly vomited in the defence department car park.

The meeting was put back as the woman was rushed to an isolation ward for testing amid stringent safety procedures.

It is thought that the meeting may have gone ahead later this morning.

Another topical issue due for discussion between the two ministers from either side of the pond is Spain's contribution to the international coalition led by the USA to stem the expansion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an extremist group purporting to be Muslim which has already beheaded two British aid workers and North American journalist James Foley.

Although foreign affairs minister José Manuel García-Margallo had stated earlier that Spain would not be taking part in air-raids or sending ground troops to the conflict zones, plans have changed and some 300 soldiers will go to the Middle East to train the Iraqi Armed Forces in de-mining and other special operations.

Ebola in the USA

Ebola has claimed one life in the USA – that of Liberian national Thomas Duncan – and a nurse who attended to him, Nina Pham, has been diagnosed and is in treatment.

Her dog, Bentley, is in quarantine where a veterinary nurse experienced in contagious diseases visits him three times a day to play with him, dressed in a biohazard suit.

The veterinary nurse says she 'would love to take the cute little thing home', and that she is doing her best to make him feel loved.

His favourite toys are rubber cones filled with peanut butter, and the nurse says she 'apologises in advance' if Bentley 'goes home fatter than when he came'.

Authorities in Dallas, Texas, where the affected nurse lives say Bentley will be kept in isolation until the incubation period has passed and then undergo two Ebola tests.

They consider protecting his life and health to be a major priority since he 'means a great deal' to the human patient.

Madrid regional health authorities have come under fire for obtaining a court order to break into Teresa Romero's house and putting her dog Excalibur to sleep before incinerating his body when the Ebola-infected nurse's husband, under observation at the Carlos III hospital, refused to give his permission for the pet to be put down.

He obtained over half a million signatures in 24 hours to save the couple's dog, calling for him to be quarantined and tested to see whether he was in fact infected.

But public pressure failed to bear fruit.

Teresa, who is said to be recovering well, has not been told Excalibur has passed away as friends and family fear it may cause major setbacks to her health.