As many of you will be aware there is currently an outbreak of the Ebola virus occurring in West Africa involving four countries; Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
There has been one case in the UK where a patient was brought back under quarantine conditions. Public Health England is advising that it remains unlikely, but not impossible, for further infected people to arrive in the UK. The affected countries are introducing exit screening at airports to ensure that individuals who are unwell do not board flights. This is in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance and is one of many measures to reduce the risk of international spread of disease.
Staff and students should be aware of the following:
- The risk of Ebola arriving in the UK is very low.
- Transmission of Ebola from person to person is by direct contact with the blood and body fluids of an ill person with the disease. The virus is not spread by the airborne route.
- The time between contact with the infected person and the time that first symptoms appear (incubation period) of Ebola ranges from two to 21 days.
- Any persons arriving back in the UK having travelled from any of the affected countries, and who are free of symptoms, are not infectious.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential travel to the affected countries. If you are required to travel and it is deemed to be essential please speak to your relevant senior manager to ensure that the necessary VC permission is obtained via your Dean or Director and that insurance and health and safety issues have been addressed.
For more information on Ebola, please visit the website.