UK patient tested for Ebola: GP clinic sealed off as suspected victim walks in suffering diarrhoea after recent travel to West Africa
- Patient suffering diarrhoea visited an NHS clinic next to Asda in Hereford
- He was transported to Hereford County Hospital where he is being tested for Ebola after revealing a history of travel to West Africa
- The surgery was closed immediately in line with guidelines
- Health officials say test is 'a precaution' and they expect it to be negative
- Ebola has so far killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa
A hospital patient is being tested for Ebola, health officials have today confirmed.
Public Health England (PHE) said the man is being tested 'as a precaution', stressing they expect test results to show he is not infected.
A spokesman said the man was displaying one of the early symptoms of Ebola, which has killed more than 5,000 people and infected more than 13,000 across parts of West Africa.
A GP clinic was yesterday sealed off after the man visited the NHS walk-in centre close to a branch of Asda in Hereford.
The spokesman said: 'PHE can confirm it has received a sample for precautionary Ebola testing, involving an individual at Hereford County Hospital with a history of travel to west Africa.
A patient suspected of suffering Ebola was taken to hospital after arriving at a GP walk-in clinic near a branch of Asda in Hereford,
above. Health officials say he is being tested for the virus 'as a precaution'
'Ebola is considered very unlikely but testing is being done as a precaution. Based on the evidence-based risk assessment protocol, we are confident that all appropriate actions are being taken to ensure there is no risk to public health.'
The patient arrived at the hospital yesterday evening, suffering diarrhoea.
The spokesman said: 'It is important to remember that, as yet, there has never been a case of Ebola diagnosed in the UK and the infection can only be transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids - such as blood, vomit or faeces - of an infected person.
'We have advised all frontline medical practitioners dealing with patients to be alert to signs and symptoms of Ebola in those returning from affected areas.
'Following such advice we would expect to see an increase in testing. Should there be a positive case in the UK, this information will be made available to the public.'
Mother Marie Williams, who was in the clinic when it was closed, said: 'We were in there at the time and although my daughter has a potentially life-threatening condition they refused to give me any info on what had happened.'
A spokesman for Primecare, which runs the GP service, said: ' As a precautionary measure and in line with standard infection control guidelines the NHS health care centre in Belmont Road, Hereford has been closed after a patient with a suspected infectious disease was seen.
'The patient was transported to hospital.'
A Public Health England spokesman said the man was displaying one of the early symptoms of Ebola
He was taken to Hereford County Hospital, where he is being tested for Ebola, having revealed a history of travel to West Africa
Dairy farmer Samuel Pickard, 65, said: 'I couldn't believe it, its good to know they are taking these things seriously, but I must say it frightened me a lot.
'It just brings the reality of it all a bit closer to home. It is very worrying.'
Asda shopper Niall Forbes, 31, added: 'It is unnerving but I hope everybody remains calm and doesn't panic too much.
'I know a lot of people who are staying away from the supermarket all because of this, many are simply fearing the worst just because of this scare.'
One patient, who did not wish to be named, said: 'It concerns me but the world is such a small place now.
Prime Minister David Cameron this week pledged a further £1.34million to help fund research into fighting the deadly virus
'They should not be open now really. I understand a mother was in the clinic with her sick child just as it was closing.'
Another 75-year-old pensioner who uses the practice frequently, said: 'I was just told it was closed because of an infection.
'It doesn't surprise me. People travel, don't they? But I think it is good the clinic was closed. They dealt with it quite well.
'We now know so we can be careful ourselves now.'
The scare came as the first group of NHS volunteers were sent to the worst-affected parts of West Africa yesterday.
There, they have begun training at a specialist Ministry of Defence unit.
More than 50 volunteers have been put through the comprehensive nine-day training scheme, which aims to fully prepare them for conditions in the field.
On Sunday, David Cameron announced plans to invest a further £1.34 million in new research to fight the deadly virus.
The Prime Minister pledged the new funds after securing a commitment from leading world powers at the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, to 'do what is necessary to ensure the international effort can extinguish the outbreak'.
Among the projects which will receive investment is a University of Westminster study developing a portable battery-powered device to test body fluids for the disease, an Oxford University study on predicting the geographical spread of the virus, and anthropological research to establish the best methods of working with local populations in preventing infection.
The UK has already committed around £230 million to the fight against Ebola and is taking a lead in healthcare operations in Sierra Leone where the disease has already spread.
Schools and health facilities for pregnant women are closing and vital vaccination programmes for children are halting because of the emergency
Ebola has so far killed more than 5,000 people in West Africa - Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are the countries worst affected by the outbreak, the biggest since the virus was discovered in 1976
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk
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