A suspected case of Ebola has emerged in Co Donegal.

Tests are being carried out for the Ebola virus at Letterkenny General Hospital on a deceased man who returned from Sierra Leone two weeks ago and had been receiving treatment for malaria.

Results of laboratory tests to check for the virus are expected to be available tomorrow. The man was from Co Donegal and had been working in Sierra Leone.

Should the tests prove positive for Ebola, the Government is expected to put into place an emergency taskforce.

The HSE said the body of the deceased had been isolated to minimise the potential spread of any possible virus.

It said blood samples have been sent for laboratory testing to confirm whether or not this individual had contracted Ebola virus disease.

The HSE has stressed that should the Ebola case be confirmed, the risk of it spreading is very low.

Only people in very close personal contact with an infected individual or their body fluids would be at any risk.

More about the Ebola virus and the outbreak in Africa here