YORK Hospital has a plan in place should a patient display the symptoms of Ebola, the trust has confirmed.

Any patient suspected of having Ebola would be placed in isolation and treated by staff wearing specialist suits and masks available on site to prevent infection.

Should a patient be diagnosed with the deadly virus they will be transferred to specialist isolation beds in London, Sheffield, Liverpool or Newcastle.

There is a sign on reception in A&E urging any patients who may have been in Sierra Leone, Liberia or Guinea to tell the receptionist immediately.

However, the threat is believed to be relatively low as current advice suggests there will be fewer than ten cases of Ebola in the UK over the next three months, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said.

A York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust spokeswoman said: “In line with national guidance, we have a plan in place for managing potential Ebola cases.

“Patients suspected of having Ebola will be isolated and tested for the virus. The patient will remain in isolation until the test results are received, and will be cared for by our staff who have specialist personal protective equipment including suits to prevent infection.

“If Ebola is confirmed, the patient will be transferred to a specialist hospital for further treatment.”

Anyone in the UK with suspected Ebola will be taken to hospital and blood samples will be taken to Public Health England’s specialist laboratory for rapid testing.

If the test is positive, then the patient may be transferred to an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London – the centre that cared for the British nurse William Pooley, who contracted Ebola in West Africa.

Hospitals in Newcastle, Liverpool and Sheffield are on standby to offer similar facilities if there is a surge in Ebola cases. A total of 26 isolation beds could be prepared at the four hospitals.