Ebola haemorrhagic fever is a rare but severe disease caused by the Ebola virus. Ebola is only transmitted by contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person or animal, whether living or dead. Overall, the risk to the general public from Ebola remains very low.
Around 5,000 cases and 2,500 deaths have been reported in West Africa (Source: WHO on 13 September). This is the largest known outbreak of the Ebola virus.
On 23 August, the Department of Health confirmed that a British national living in Sierra Leone had tested positive for Ebola virus infection. On 24 August the person was repatriated. Read the statement on Ebola in a British national working in Sierra Leone.
Should I be worried about this outbreak?
It is important to remember that the risk to the general public from Ebola remains very low. Ebola is only transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person or infected animals.
UK hospitals have a proven record of dealing with imported infectious diseases. We have robust, well developed and well tested NHS systems for managing unusual infectious diseases, supported by a wide range of experts.
These include experts at the Royal Free Infectious Disease Unit, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Read more information on NHS Choices.
Advice for health professionals in the UK
Read clinical management advice and guidance
What are the arrangements at the UK border?
Guidance has been issued to front line Border Force staff on how to identify and safely deal with suspected cases of Ebola. It makes clear what steps need to be taken should a passenger arrive at the border unwell.
If a person is identified at the border as being a potential carrier they will be immediately referred by a Border Force officer to a specialist medical care provider and reported to public health authorities.
Travel advice
The FCO advise against all but essential travel to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea except for those involved in the direct response to the Ebola outbreak.
Get the latest travel advice for Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
Government actions to help affected countries
The UK is playing a leading role and is working with the international community to combat Ebola, and has committed a £25 million package of support. This comprises:
- A £5 million package of assistance to partners including the International Federation of the Red Cross and Médecins Sans Frontières, who are tackling the outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
- A further £20.5 million of UK support is helping contain Ebola through our longstanding commitments to multilateral institutions and the EU. For details see the Notes to Editors here. In addition, British military and humanitarian experts will set up a medical treatment centre for victims of the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone. The 62 bed facility will be purpose built and operated by military engineers and medical staff.
In Sierra Leone and Liberia the UK is supporting agencies to increase awareness and understanding of the disease within the community, to improve treatment for those infected and to prevent its spread.
This includes working with the World Health Organization (WHO) to train health workers and provide the supplies they need to tackle the outbreak.
The UK has also funded initiatives to improve public information, including radio messaging programmes, on the outbreak in Sierra Leone to help control the spread of the disease.
In Liberia the UK has provided chlorine and other materials for hygiene and sanitising.
The Department for International Development and the Wellcome Trust are funding a call for research into managing Ebola outbreaks.
Play your part in the UK’s fight against Ebola
The UK government are opening an Ebola Treatment Centre in Sierra Leone and are seeking staff to help in the emergency response.
If you are a medical professional or have experience in logistics or water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and are interested in joining the fight against Ebola, please sign up:
If you work for the NHS, register for the UK International Emergency Medical Register
Non-NHS medical professional or have experience in logistics or WASH? Apply with Save the Children