Pauline Cafferkey’s twin sons are not the first babies born to a British Ebola survivor, the Daily Record can reveal.
Fellow nurse Will Pooley, 33, who also survived the deadly illness, became dad to a baby boy 10 months ago.
Like Pauline, 43, Will contracted Ebola while caring for sufferers during the outbreak in Sierra Leone in 2014. He was also treated at the Royal Free Hospital in London and went on to make a full recovery.
When Pauline, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, was struck down by the disease for a second time, she was given a transfusion of Will’s blood plasma, which ultimately helped her recovery.
Will’s mum Jackie, from Suffolk, yesterday welcomed the news about Pauline’s twins – and revealed that her son had also put Ebola behind him by starting a family.
She said: “This is great news about Pauline but these aren’t the first – they are the second and third post-Ebola babies.
“Will had little Liam 10 months ago, so he will be able to understand things.”
Jackie said there were no Ebola-related issues surrounding Liam’s birth.
She added: “It went normally but I’m not sure if there might have been extra concerns if the mother in such cases had gone through the illness.”
The Record yesterday told how Pauline’s babies were introduced to the world on Tuesday via their dad’s Facebook page.
Theatre director Robert Softley Gale, who is gay and believed to be in a long-term relationship, posted: “Hello world. Meet these two amazing boys.
“Born at 10.05 and 10.08 this morning – 5lb 14oz and 5lb 8oz. Mum and boys doing brilliantly. Names to follow.”
He added later: “Hello y’all – I’m Dante in the blue hat and he’s Rafe in the yellow.”
Pauline said: “I would like to thank all the wonderful NHS staff who have helped me since I became ill in 2014 right through to having my babies this week.
“This shows that there is life after Ebola and there is a future for those who have encountered this disease.”
A spokesperson for the Royal Free Hospital, which treated Pauline several times during her battles with the illness, said: “Everyone at the Royal Free London would like to wish Pauline huge congratulations on the birth of her twins.
“We wish her and her family well for the future.”
