Ebola Virus: Suspected Ebola case in Northampton Hospital

Northampton General Hospital has confirmed reports that a woman who is suspected of having Ebola is being treated at the hospital.

A spokesman for the hospital told the Press Association: "I can confirm that we have a suspected case of Ebola. It is a female adult. She will be in isolation if she is suspected of having the illness."

On its website, in a message intended to "reassure local people", NGH said it had "robust systems and processes which will ensure we are able to identify and isolate a patient who presents with symptoms of Ebola or any other infectious disease."

The hospital has not yet released any further details, but it is believed that the woman had recently travelled abroad.

The only other confirmed case of Ebola currently being treated at a UK hospital is 39-year-old Pauline Cafferkey, a nurse who was working in West Africa for Save the Children.

She has been receiving treatment at London's Royal Free Hospital and is said to be "showing signs of improvement."

A patient is also in isolation at North Manchester General Hospital and being tested for the Ebola virus, authorities there have confirmed.

The patient, who has a "history of travel to West Africa", is being cared for within a specialist clinical infectious diseases unit at the hospital.

The virus has killed more than 7,800 people, almost all in West Africa, since the outbreak began a year ago. The World Health Organisation estimates 20,000 people may have been infected in the worst-affected areas of west Africa.