Ebola Screening Starts At Gatwick

21 October 2014, 11:55 | Updated: 21 October 2014, 18:26

Screening for Ebola has begun at Gatwick Airport.

Public Health England said the checks would start at North Terminal on Tuesday 21 October 2014 and would be extended to South Terminal on Wednesday 22 October.

The screening was then due to take place for Eurostar passengers at St Pancras International by the end of the week.

A spokesman has said: "This expands the screening initiated at Heathrow last week, which is going well. Manchester and Birmingham airports will follow in the coming weeks.

"Screening is being undertaken to help ensure individuals arriving from high-risk areas know what to do if they start feeling ill, and can receive expert advice immediately. We are also providing all general practices, emergency departments, and pharmacies in England with awareness posters from this week.

"Public Health England will continue to consider other appropriate additional measures."

The screening is taking place for passengers that Border Force officers identify as having travelled from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

Passengers have their temperature taken and complete a questionnaire asking about their current health, recent travel history and whether they might be at potential risk through contact with Ebola patients.

Based on the information provided and their temperature, passengers will either be given advice and allowed to continue their journey, or undergo a clinical assessment by PHE staff and if necessary be transferred to hospital for further tests.

Checks for the deadly virus started at Heathrow Airport last week.