Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health

Members were informed that the Ebola virus disease (EBV), previously known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, was a rare but severe disease which is caused by Ebola virus. It can result in uncontrolled bleeding, causing damage to the patient’s vital organs. The virus was initially transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission through contact with blood and body fluids.

Members noted that there had been over 4,500 confirmed deaths and over 9000 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of Ebola recorded in seven countries, although widespread transmission was confined to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. This number was doubling every three to four weeks. The UN had declared the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease [EVD] in West Africa an international public health emergency.

Officers informed Members that the overall risk to the general UK population continued to be low. The virus is only transmitted by direct contact with the blood or body fluids (such as blood, saliva or vomit) of an infected person. There were no cases identified in the UK at present so there is no risk of contracting the disease in the UK.

Officers informed Members that while the risk levels of an Ebola outbreak in England were very low the chances of contracting swine flu were slightly higher due to the disease being contracted by droplets such as sweat and spit.