Government undertaking contact tracing following recent UK Ebola case

Passengers who shared the aeroplane of the British healthcare worker who was recently diagnosed with Ebola are being contacted by Public Health England as a precautionary measure.

The government is undertaking contact tracing as part of its efforts to ensure the virulent disease does not spread and had already been in touch with 85 passengers as of 16:00 GMT on December 31st 2014.

In total, 100 passengers and the crew on the flight from Casablanca to Heathrow will be contacted, with an additional 32 international passengers to be spoken to by international public health authorities. Health Protection Scotland is carrying out a similar exercise for the 71 passengers on the Heathrow to Glasgow flight.

The period between exposure and when symptoms might develop for Ebola is currently considered to be up to 21 days. Those feeling unwell have been advised to contact Public Health England or NHS 111 immediately.

Professor Paul Cosford, director for health protection and medical director at Public Health England, said: "The individual involved did not experience any symptoms consistent with the transmission of Ebola, and as such, the risk that this infection will have been passed from the affected individual to others is extremely unlikely."

The patient in question is currently being treated in isolation at the Royal Free hospital in London, with infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease in place.