The Cameron government said on Thursday (9 October) that security would start screening passengers entering the UK through London's two main airports, and the Eurostar rail link with Europe, for possible cases of the Ebola virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates Ebola has killed over 3,800 people in Western Africa. Earlier this week, a Spanish nurse became the first person known to have caught the virus outside Africa.

That, combined with London's status as a global transport hub, has raised the level of public concern about the risk of the disease spreading to Britain, leading to calls from some politicians for the government to step up its border defences.

"Enhanced screening will initially be implemented at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Eurostar terminals," a statement from Prime Minister David Cameron's office said.

"(It) will involve assessing passengers' recent travel history, who they have been in contact with and onward travel arrangements as well as a possible medical assessment, conducted by trained medical personnel."