Health authorities are warning people to avoid unnecessary travel to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria to limit any exposure to Ebola.

If travelling to these countries was unavoidable, the authorities recommended avoiding direct contact with contaminated objects and the blood or bodily fluids of a patient or a corpse.

It was also important to avoid close contact with wild animals, not eat bush meat, not have unprotected sexual intercourse and practise careful hygiene.

The disease has an incubation period of between two to 21 days. It is not possible to contract the disease by sitting next to an infected person on the plane or if somebody carrying the virus sneezes on you.

If anyone lived in areas where Ebola cases were recently reported, they are advised to contact the public health authorities on 2132 4086 at the first sign of illness, if within 21 days of departure from the country.

These include signs of fever, headache, achiness, sore throat, diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, rash, red eyes, and in some cases, bleeding.