Ebola is a threat to U.K. warns Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond

LONDON, July 30 (UPI) -- Even though the virus has not infected anyone in Britain yet, U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Ebola is a serious threat and needs to be taken seriously.

Hammond plans on chairing an emergency Cobra meeting about the situation, he told BBC News.

"At the moment we don't think any British nationals [abroad] are affected and we are fairly confident there are no cases in the U.K.," Hammond said. "But it is a threat, it is something we need to respond to and we will be doing so through the Cobra mechanism."

Public Health England has warned doctors in the United Kingdom to be aware of the virus and be vigilant for its symptoms.

"Individuals who have sudden onset of symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat and general malaise within 21 days of visiting affected areas should receive rapid medical attention, and be asked about potential risk factors and their recent travel," according to the PHE alert.

According to the agency, there has never been an Ebola outbreak in Europe.

Although several airlines have stopped flying to countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone, the World Health Organization has not advised that travel to those areas be restricted.