A person who worked as a medical professional in Liberia is currently being tested for Ebola in an isolation ward at Canberra Hospital.

ACT Health Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Andrew Pengilley said the person was admitted as a precaution after developing symptoms this afternoon.

The patient was being monitored after returning from overseas, as required by ACT Health procedures.

ACT Health said the person did not treat any cases of Ebola.

Dr Pengilley said the patient had experienced minor changes in their health.

“What we don’t know at this stage is what this means. They will be tested for Ebola, and until we receive a negative result we will be treating this incident as a worst-case scenario,” he said.

It is unclear whether the patient is a man or a woman.

Dr Pengilley said in the unlikely event the result was positive, risk to other members of the public would be extremely low.

“Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with body fluids, and people are mostly highly infectious when they have developed severe symptoms of disease.”

Members of the person’s family have been advised by ACT Health to stay at home.

The results of the Ebola test are expected to be known within the next 24 hours.