The dog belonged to a 44-year-old Spanish nurse that contracted the virus while treating a missionary

Oct 9, 2014 09:50 GMT  ·  By

Just yesterday, it was announced that health officials in Spain were considering euthanizing a dog whose owner, a 44-year-old nurse named Teresa Romero Ramos, had been diagnosed with Ebola.

The dog, named Excalibur, might have been carrying the virus in its body. Hence, despite protests and an online campaign demanding that its life be spared, the pooch was put to sleep late last night.

According to Daily Mail, the dog was killed inside its owners' home. He was sedated before being euthanized, and his body was disposed of at a nearby incinerator. Following the intervention, the house was disinfected.

While health officials were busy euthanizing the dog and getting rid of the corpse, animal lovers held a vigil outside the nurse's home. Many of these people hoped that Excalibur would eventually be saved. However, this did not happen.

The Spanish nurse is now in isolation at a hospital in Madrid. Her husband was put in quarantine shortly after the woman was handed her diagnosis. He has not yet been found to have Ebola.

By the looks of it, the 44-year-old woman contracted the virus when she touched her face with one of the gloves she had on when looking after Spanish missionary and Ebola patient Manuel Garcia Viejo.

The woman has been treated with antibodies from an Ebola survivor, and the doctors in charge of looking after her say that she is showing some signs of improvement.