Health workers returning from Ebola-stricken countries namely Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea will not be quarantined even if the Prime Minister reiterated to consider such measures. David Cameron said yesterday in an interview that he hopes to introduce quarantine and stricter check-ups in airports. However, medical experts say that there is no need for quarantine.
The Prime Minister said that he is open for suggestions from medical experts about whether a quarantine system should be established for returning health workers from Ebola-stricken countries. "If the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) says we need a system of quarantine or anything like that, then we should put that in place," he said. "But it is important to listen to the medical experts and then make the decision."
Cameron's suggestion came after a UK nurse had been diagnosed with Ebola and is now in a critical condition at the Royal Free Hospital after arriving from West Africa. Pauline Cafferkey, a 39-year old nurse, was diagnosed with Ebola last Monday even if she had complained of fever and still was allowed to travel from Heathgrow to Glasgow last week.
The Scottish nurse was part of a team who went to Sierra Leone for volunteer work in November.
In related news, health officials in UK have formulated new rules to deal with deaths from the virus, wherein they would suggest bodies to be cremated immediately to avoid transfer of the virus to other people. Public Health England has recommended the policy to be implemented in hospitals and funeral homes in case that the Ebola infection rate will increase in the coming months.
The World Health Organization released a new report before December ended. Nearly 8,000 people have died from the disease and it has infected more than 20,000 people, mostly from the three worst-stricken countries, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.