British Airways cancels flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia over Ebola outbreak

5th Aug 2014 17:01

British Airways on Tuesday cancelled flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia following an Ebola virus outbreak.The airline, owned International Consolidated Airlines (IAG), said it has suspended flights until 31 August due to the "deteriorating public health situation" relating to the virus in the two countries. The decision means cutting off the only direct flights between Britain and the Ebola-infected area of west Africa."British Airways services from London Heathrow to Freetown and Monrovia will be temporarily suspended from tomorrow, 6 August until 31 August 2014, due to the deteriorating public health situation in both countries," the firm said. It comes after the World Health Organisation issued warnings at the weekend that the epidemic, which has killed nearly 900 people since February, was spreading faster than it could be controlled.Patrick Sawyer, US-Liberian dual citizen who died of Ebola in Lagos, Nigeria shortly after arriving at the airport in July, is now believed to have infected at least eight other people with the disease, according to health officials. RD