Thomas Simpson
A public health expert has urged people in Leicester that they do not need to worry about the Ebola virus spreading throughout the city and the rest of the UK.
Dr Philip Monk, 58, consultant of Health Protection from the East Midlands Centre for Public Health England, said: “The likelihood of it coming particularly to Leicester is low, very low, if we were unlucky and if it did then I am confident that the systems are in place to protect the rest of the population so nobody needs to have any concerns.
“We would be ready in Leicester as we have plans and they have been tested.
“Most importantly, knowing the patients journey through the hospital as to not come into contact with other people, the equally important thing is that the staff are aware how to put on and to take off the personal protective equipment,” he added.
The virus has killed over 4000 people in West Africa since December 2013 as well as a small number of deaths in Spain, Germany and the USA.
Currently, there are no direct flights from the UK to the affected countries in West Africa.
London airports Gatwick and Heathrow, as well as St Pancras Eurostar, are set to begin screening for the virus in passengers identified by the Border Force as having travelled to Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The government and charities such as Save The Children have supported the building of hospitals in these countries as well as the staffing of them.
If you would like to help fight the spread of the Ebola virus you can donate to charitable organisations who are working in the affected areas.
For the latest information regarding the Ebola virus, please visithttps://www.gov.uk/gove…/organisations/public-health-england.
