Members of the UK's Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) have written to the government, seeking clarification on its preparedness for a potential Ebola outbreak. The cross-party group of 11 MPs has specifically asked Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty and Public Health Minister Sharon Hodgson MP to outline the steps being taken to mitigate public risk from the high-consequence infectious disease, including border measures, surveillance, and testing.
The inquiry comes in the wake of Europe's first confirmed Ebola case in France, where a doctor tested positive after returning from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC is the epicenter of the current outbreak, which has seen at least 1,300 cases and 360 deaths. The Bundibugyo strain, which is driving the outbreak, is rare and currently has no vaccine.
These developments have heightened concerns about the virus reaching the UK, especially after a suspected Ebola case at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow prompted a temporary precautionary shutdown before the patient tested negative. This incident, along with the case in France, has prompted the HSCC's request for detailed information on the government's response strategy.
In a letter addressed to Sir Chris Whitty and Ms Hodgson, HSCC chair Layla Moran MP stated the committee's keen interest in understanding the government's preparedness for a future outbreak and the measures in place to reduce public risk. The committee also inquired about collaboration with global health bodies to address the threat and sought assurance that preparations are in place to prevent Ebola's arrival in the UK and to safely contain any detected cases.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been given a deadline of July 9 to respond to the committee's letter. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has already urged hospitals, GPs, and frontline services to ensure readiness for identifying and isolating suspected Ebola patients, noting that while the risk to Britain remains low, imported cases are possible.
The current outbreak is the third-largest in history and was declared an international health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 17. Experts have warned that the situation in the DRC could worsen due to a significant cut in global funding to the region. Scientists at Oxford University are reportedly working on a vaccine, but it is expected to take two to three months before human trials can begin.
Ebola is known to spread through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person or through contact with contaminated surfaces. Symptoms can include a flu-like fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, potentially progressing to internal bleeding and organ failure. The Bundibugyo strain, first recorded in 2007, has previously resulted in smaller outbreaks in Uganda and the DRC.