Medical staff were forced into action this morning over fears a patient may have been exposed to a rare, deadly virus.

The individual, understood to be from the Middle East, arrived at Maidstone Hospital with symptoms that were briefly considered consistent with Ebola.

The patient was then moved into another area of the A&E ward, away from others, and assessed, where no evidence of the infection was found.

However, witnesses at the hospital reported seeing other people discharging themselves and leaving during the process, having overheard initial conversations between doctors.

A spokesman for Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust confirmed the virus was not found to be present and that no other areas of the hospital were affected.

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