British Army medics taking part in an exercise near York yesterday before they are sent to Sierra Leone to help tackle the Ebola crisis. Photo: Reuters

More than 750 British military personnel and the medical ship RFA Argus are being sent to West Africa to help in the efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak. RFA Argus, which has a fully-equipped hospital including critical care and high-dependency units, will be sent to Sierra Leone, along with three Merlin helicopters, it is understood.

The latest deployment of British military personnel to the Ebola-affected region emerged following a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee chaired by the Prime Minister.

The British government has come under pressure to introduce screening at airports and other transport hubs to prevent the disease spreading in the UK.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “ I welcome the Ministry of Defence’s proposals to send troops to Sierra Leone to help tackle Ebola. We must do all we can, both at the source and in the UK, to combat the spread of this virus.”

Authorities in Spain are dealing with the first case of the disease transmitted outside west Africa, in a hospital nurse who treated a priest flown to Madrid for treatment.

Deployment follows British government’s Cobra emergency committee

WHO regional director for Europe Zsuzsanna Jakab said: “Healthcare workers are on the frontline of the Ebola fight and they are those most at risk of infection. They need to be protected and supported by all means.

“All countries have protocols and procedures that must be implemented when a case is suspected and it is important that these are followed diligently.”

She added that the WHO was ready to provide help and support where requested.

Guidance issued to hospitals by NHS England shows that the Royal Free would treat anyone infected in a UK outbreak, with plans in place to transfer patients to hospitals in Newcastle, Sheffield and Liverpool if numbers increase.