Four people have been hospitalised in Spain as the country tries to stem the spread of Ebola, with health workers staging protests over being inadequately prepared to deal with the virus.

A Spanish nurse became the first person in the world to develop the disease outside of Africa after testing positive for the virus on Monday.

Her husband, who is showing no symptoms of the disease, and two other people have been hospitalised and are being closely monitored.

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Spanish officials sought to reassure the public they were tackling the threat, but the World Health Organisation has warned Europe of more outbreaks.

Twenty-two people who came into contact with the nurse are being monitored.

Forty-four-year-old Teresa Romero Ramos developed the virus after caring for two Ebola victims at a hospital in Madrid, with officials now investigating how she was infected.

Spanish health workers have staged protests calling for Spain’s health minister to resign, following claims the nurse did not have sufficient protective equipment.

– with ABC