Nuneaton police cells closed by Ebola scare...

Police cells in Nuneaton were temporarily closed due to fears of a suspected Ebola outbreak.



Warwickshire Police Force bosses have confirmed that they were forced to close the custody suites at both Nuneaton and Leamington justice centres yesterday.

This was as a result of a 24-year-old woman from Eritrea, who was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences, reported flu-like symptoms while in custody at Leamington.

She was one of nine people, all believed to be from the African country, who were arrested, six of which were in custody at Leamington and three in Nuneaton.

Officers say that, as a precaution, they closed off the cells as an assessment of the woman’s health was made.

Fortunately, it proved there was no cause for concern and, after two-and-a-half hours, the cells at both stations were re-opened.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Cullen said: “Two custody suites within the Warwickshire Police area were locked down as a precaution for approximately two-and-a-half hours yesterday after a 24-year-old woman from Eritrea, reported flu-like symptoms whilst in custody at Leamington Spa, having been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences.

“The woman was one of a group of nine people, all believed to be from Eritrea, who had been detained under immigration legislation. Six had been taken to Leamington Spa custody suite and three to Nuneaton. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, both suites were shut down while a medical assessment of the woman’s health was carried out. This assessment found that there was no cause for concern and the custody suites were both re-opened with business as usual.

“We have undergone multi-agency training for situations such as this, co-ordinated through the Warwickshire Local Resilience Forum. Together with strategic partners, including Public Health England and the Ambulance Service, over recent months plans and processes have been put in place in order to ensure we respond appropriately and promptly in situations such as this. These were enacted for the welfare of the woman concerned, the other detainees within the buildings and the police and detention officers, staff, legal representatives and volunteers.”