A PATIENT with a history of travel to West Africa is being tested for ebola at North Manchester General Hospital.

The patient is undergoing a variety of tests at the hospital and is being kept in isolation until blood test results are available.

The hospital, in Crumpsall, is used by people in Prestwich and run by Pennine Acute NHS Foundation Trust, which also runs Fairfield Hospital in Bury.

It is understood the patient recently visited West Africa.

A statement released by Public Health England confirmed it had received a sample for ebola but said the disease was considered unlikely and testing was being done as a precaution.

The statement adds: “We are confident that all appropriate actions are being taken to protect the public's health.

“It is not possible for PHE to provide any details on individuals being tested prior to the test result being known.”

Pennine Acute Hospitals bosses said specially-trained doctors and nurses are treating the patient in a specialist clinical infectious diseases unit, in isolation away from other patients.

In a statement issued this evening, the trust added: "The UK has some of the best public health protection systems in the world and the risk to the UK of ebola still remains low.

“We, along with other NHS trusts, have robust and well-tested systems in place to deal with suspected ebola cases to protect staff and the public.”