There is significant potential for women and girls to be more at risk as victims of the outbreak. Women are the primary health care providers for their families and communities, form the bulk of healthcare workers in hospitals as nurses and cleaners, and are often responsible for handling female bodies for burial which brings them into direct contact with the disease. In addition, given that pregnant women are more likely to have contact with health services, they experience greater exposure to infections in health facilities.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2539", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Northover"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Northover"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-20T16:30:29.3836344Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-10-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the incidence of exposure to and infection by ebola among women.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3895", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead"} ], "uin" : "HL1971"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91994", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/91994/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Secretary of State laid out the steps the Government are taking to enhance preparedness to isolate and contain instances of Ebola during his statement of 13 October, Official Report<\/em>, columns 38-46.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-10-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-10-15T16:54:52.8353774Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to enhance preparedness to isolate and contain instances of Ebola in England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3951", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Duncan Hames"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Chippenham"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Duncan Hames"}
], "uin" : "209459"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90153", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/90153/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The risk to the United Kingdom of Ebola remains very low. The National Health Service has plans in place to deal with patients with infectious diseases as part of its core business. This includes plans to manage patients in line with infection control procedures, and where necessary in highly specialist infectious diseases facilities. We keep these plans under constant review.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> These plans have been tested most recently by the successful transfer back to the UK of a healthcare worker who became infected with Ebola when working with patients in Sierra Leone. The patient, a British National, was cared for in the national High Level Isolation Unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The patient has now recovered.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In the unlikely event of an outbreak involving more than two people, specialist staff at this unit are trained and prepared to look after patients safely in an isolation ward, which would be dedicated for this purpose.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> It is extremely unlikely that an outbreak of Ebola would occur in the UK even if there was to be an imported case, as there are factors operating in West Africa which would not be seen in the UK.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-09-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-09-08T16:00:20.547826Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-09-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to prepare contingency plans in the event of an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "207707"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89687", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89687/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department holds regular meetings involving officials from all of the devolved administrations in which they discuss current emergency preparedness issues. There are also meetings convened by Public Health England to ensure that all preparations are coordinated. Over the last few weeks, these discussions have included the response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa; including United Kingdom readiness in the event that cases arrive in one of our countries.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-09-03T14:43:50.1785499Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-08-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on precautionary measures to protect against the spread of the Ebola virus.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Down"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Margaret Ritchie"}
], "uin" : "207467"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89689", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/89689/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> Advice for United Kingdom border force staff with regard to Ebola virus was developed by Public Health England and circulated by the Border Force to all UK ports, including those in Northern Ireland.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-09-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-09-03T14:47:05.7458682Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-08-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what training and guidance on the Ebola virus has been issued to staff at airports and ports in Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Down"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Margaret Ritchie"}
], "uin" : "207466"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79794", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/79794/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " All avenues to restrict the virus entering the UK are under constant review. UK Airlines are constantly reviewing the Foreign & Commonwealth Office\u2019s travel advice when planning their services and ensuring that measures they take are consistent with Public Health England guidance.<\/p> <\/p> Currently, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the World Health Organisation are not recommending travel restrictions to countries in Africa with cases of Ebola. UK airlines are not planning to stop services to these countries. However, airlines and the UK Government are constantly reviewing the situation.<\/p> <\/p> A ban on direct flights would not allow a country to avoid the spread of a virus altogether, as potentially infected passengers could travel via hubs in third countries.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1557", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kramer"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Kramer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-08-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-08-04T11:20:57.6195167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government what consideration they have given to banning all flights from countries in Africa in which cases of the Ebola virus have occurred.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/497", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Blencathra"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Blencathra"}
], "uin" : "HL1683"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64591", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64591/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> To date, the UK government has contributed £897,324 to the Ebola Virus Disease response in the three affected countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia through multilateral partners and the DFID bilateral programme. In addition, DFID is finalizing arrangements to send out three Public Health England disease control specialists to Sierra Leone to support the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) response.<\/p> <\/p> In Sierra Leone, DFID funds are being used to support improved coordination at the national level; training and equipping of health workers competently to manage Ebola cases; improving EVD case detection and supporting appropriate radio messaging and community mobilisation activities on EVD prevention in affected districts. In Liberia, DFID has provided chlorine and other materials for hygiene and sanitising; and training in their appropriate use. Along with colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we are closely monitoring the outbreak from Sierra Leone and Liberia (where we have DFID country offices) and internationally through Whitehall. We are working with WHO and national government agencies to improve our understanding of the outbreak and help to guide the response in-country and regionally.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2539", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Northover"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Northover"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T16:36:37.3635724Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they have in the programme to contain the spread of Ebola.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL678"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63910", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63910/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The National Health Service has plans in place to deal with patients with infectious diseases as part of its core business. This includes plans to manage patients in line with infection control procedures, and where necessary in highly specialist infectious diseases facilities.A patient with Ebola virus infection would be cared for in the national High Level Isolation Unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. In the unlikely event of an outbreak involving more than two people, specialist staff at this unit are trained and prepared to look after patients safely in an isolation ward, which would be dedicated for this purpose.<\/p> <\/p> In the UK, the procedures outlined in the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens guidelines, \u201cThe Management of Hazard Group 4 viral haemorrhagic fevers and similar human infectious diseases of high consequence\u201d, are followed for any suspected case.<\/p> <\/p> Public Health England has assessed the risk of importation of Ebola in the UK as very low. It is extremely unlikely that an outbreak of Ebola would occur in the UK even if there was to be an imported case, as there are factors operating in West Africa which would not be seen in the UK.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3918", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jane Ellison"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Battersea"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jane Ellison"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-06-30T15:56:16.319562Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans he has in place to deal with an outbreak of Ebola virus in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4068", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Watford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Harrington"}
], "uin" : "202299"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63923", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63923/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> The UK does not specifically screen pre or at entry for Ebola. <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1530", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Brokenshire"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Old Bexley and Sidcup"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Brokenshire"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-01T15:09:20.0333939Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps UK Visas and Immigration can take to prevent no cases of Ebola reaching the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4068", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Harrington of Watford"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Watford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Richard Harrington"}
], "uin" : "202298"}
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}
Public Health England has assessed the risk of importation of Ebola in the UK
as very low. It is extremely unlikely that an outbreak of Ebola would occur in
the UK even if there was to be an imported case, as there are factors operating
in West Africa which would not be seen in the UK. The outbreak in West Africa
is driven by person to person spread in the absence of any infection control
precautions. Human cases of Ebola virus disease have never yet been exported
from an outbreak zone to a European country.
All UK ports have systems and plans for dealing with issues of public health
concern. However, they all require that the public health system is firstly
notified of the arrival of someone with a suspected disease of concern. Crew
are trained to do this by their respective companies and an example of the type
of guidance that they work towards can be found on the International Air
Transport Association (the international airline trade body) website at:
https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/safety/health/Documents/health-guidelines-cabin-cr
ew-2011.pdf .
At all UK ports, there is a system for routing reports, produced by the
commander of a craft, to a local health protection team who are available on a
24/7 basis throughout the year. Health protection teams have generic
responsibility for managing incidents of public health concern in all settings
including our ports. They will then take the lead in managing the incident from
a public health perspective with the NHS being responsible for the provision of
healthcare.
The International Health Regulations (IHR), which entered into force on 15 June
2007, require countries to report certain disease outbreaks and public health
events to WHO, including Ebola.<\/p>