Risk from Ebola to EU territories is extremely low, but the EU has been following the situation in West Africa for many months and is ready to react if needed, said European Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg.
“Today we have learned that World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the worsening situation regarding the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” Borg said in a statement.
“As European Commissioner for Health I want to reassure citizens that the risk from Ebola to EU territories is extremely low. This is both because relatively few people travelling to the EU are likely to be infected with the virus, and because of the way in which it spreads, i.e. only through direct contact with the symptomatic patient’s body fluids,” he said.
According to him, “it is also important to consider that the EU has very high standards of health and preventive care.”
“The EU has been following the situation in West Africa for many months and, in the unlikely event of Ebola reaching the EU, we are prepared in the face of the virus,” the statement said.
FULL statement available on Rapid.
