Philip Hammond says Ebola outbreak “a threat” to Britain

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he would hold a top-level government meeting to discuss the outbreak of the highly-infectious Ebola virus across West Africa which he warned posed a threat to Britain.

“It is a threat. It is something we need to respond to,” Hammond told BBC TV.

Ebola is believed to have killed 672 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in February, according to the World Health Organisation.

Hammond said no British citizens were believed to be affected and no cases had been reported in Britain, but said he would chair an emergency meeting of officials on Wednesday to look at what precautions were needed.

Reuters