Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On 8 August 2014, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in west Africa to be a public health emergency of international concern. As of 24 September 2014, the cumulative number of cases attributed to Ebola in the five affected west African countries stood at 6,263, including 2,917 deaths. There have been no cases of Ebola in Ireland. The focus of public health planning is on dealing with any cases of viral haemorrhagic fever that may be imported from another country.

The HSE's Ebola scientific advisory group and emerging viral threats group have been meeting regularly to review the situation and approve national guidance for Ebola and other emerging viral threats to health, and to ensure implementation of this guidance.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre, which is part of the HSE, has issued this guidance to hospitals and GPs, including an algorithm for the assessment of viral haemorrhagic fevers and clinical assessment forms. Health professionals have been advised that any individual presenting with particular symptoms must be urgently assessed using the viral haemorrhagic fever algorithm and clinical assessment forms, which are also available on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre website. There are also protocols in place for viral haemorrhagic fever risk assessment by ambulance personnel at airports and shipping ports. Paramedics will transport suspected victims either to the national isolation unit at the Mater hospital or to the nearest emergency department, depending on the risk assessment for each individual case. Posters giving information about Ebola are on display in ports and airports.

It is national policy that any case of Ebola should be treated at the national isolation unit, if the patient is medically fit for transfer. The guidance includes protocols for the safe ambulance transfer of such a patient. The National Ambulance Service has arrangements in place for a Garda escort for the ambulance transporting the patient to the national isolation unit.

In Ireland, all diagnostic testing for Ebola is carried out in the National Virus Reference Laboratory. Testing is carried out only with prior consultation with the laboratory, which provides advice on the packaging and transfer of specimens. As a precautionary measure, tests have been carried out on 18 samples from 12 patients with reported symptoms and a travel history consistent with the case definition for Ebola. The results of all tests have been negative for the Ebola virus.

There is ongoing contact between my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Updated travel advice is available on the latter Department's website. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade strongly advises Irish citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Considerable public health planning is under way with a range of bodies and professionals in relation to the implications of the Ebola emergency in west Africa. The matter was discussed in Milan last week at the informal Council of Ministers meeting at which I was present.

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