Ebola Outbreak: Woman Tested for Virus at London's St George's Hospital, Tooting

A woman with a "history of travel to West Africa" has been tested for the Ebola virus in a hospital in south London, local media reported.

According to a spokesperson of St George's Hospital in Tooting, the woman was admitted to hospital suffering from a haemorrhagic fever.

"She is currently undergoing a series of tests, as a precaution one of which is for Ebola," the spokesperson said.

"The trust has followed national guidance and moved the patient to our clinical infections unit where they are being cared for in isolation, away from other patients.

"We are confident that all appropriate actions have been taken by our staff to protect the public and the patient."

According to a woman visiting her father in the hospital, the Accident and Emergency (A&E ) department had been cordoned off to make sure nobody would access it.

"When I went back in, the A&E section was closed off with a big sign saying 'do not enter' with staff standing nearby to make sure no one got through.

"I heard someone saying something about a woman having Ebola.

"I was worried as I had to get back to my Dad and the corridor was now blocked."

A Public Health England spokesman said: "PHE can confirm it will undertake precautionary tests relating to a patient presently at St George's Hospital in Tooting, who has a history of travel to West Africa.

"Ebola is considered unlikely but testing is being done as a precaution, as is our usual practice in these circumstances. We are confident that all appropriate actions are being taken to protect the public's health."

The Ebola outbreak, the worst in history, has killed nearly 5,000 people in west Africa since last January.

Ebola is contracted by contact with infected bodily fluids. Its symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and body aches.

The disease, dubbed by some "the new Aids", is causing growing concern worldwide, as hundreds of people are dying every day in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Many countries are banning flights from Ebola-hit nations as a result of growing concern that the deadly virus could be spread to other countries if people from affected areas are allowed to travel.

Fears of contagion are also leading to a surge in racist and discriminatory attacks worldwide.