Europe, Asia go on Ebola alert

London: Fears that the west African Ebola outbreak could spread to other continents grew with European and Asian countries on alert and a leading medical charity warning the epidemic was out of control.

 

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said the crisis gripping Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone would only get worse and warned there was no overarching strategy to handle the world's worst-ever outbreak of the disease.

 

Hong Kong announced quarantine measures for suspected cases, although one woman arriving from Africa with possible symptoms tested negative, while the EU said it was ready to deal with the threat.

 

The International Civil Aviation Organisation has held talks with global health officials on potential measures to halt the spread of the disease.

 

In Britain, foreign secretary Philip Hammond chaired the government's crisis management committee to assess the situation, although only one person has tested negative for the disease.

 

Since March, there have been 1,201 cases of Ebola and 672 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The European Union is equipped to treat victims should the deadly virus be found in its 28 member states, an EU source  said.