Malaria Even More Deadly Than Ebola, Says Queen

The Queen has told leading scientists that she is concerned the focus on ebola will result in people dying from other deadly diseases such as malaria.

At an event hosted by foreign affairs think tank Chatham House, Her Majesty revealed she had been discussing the Ebola outbreak with her personal physician.

Speaking with one of the world’s top epidemiologists, Professor David Heymann, she expressed concerns that patients presenting with feverish symptoms may be turned away from hospitals because they were too busy dealing with Ebola patients.

Professor Heymann, who a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, described The Queen as ‘very perceptive’ and said he was impressed with her knowledge on the subject.

‘Ebola is getting all the attention and malaria is not.’

‘She is afraid that malaria will have a comeback because people are not paying enough attention to it.’

But he said that there must not be a cut back in the fight against the deadly virus which has already claimed 5,000 lives in Africa.

‘There is a great fear that there will be an increase in deaths from common childhood diseases like malaria and diarrhoeal diseases.’ he said.

‘She is very perceptive. Unfortunately this should not detract attention from Ebola, which must be stopped. It is a terrible disease.’

Professor Keymann was the former assistant director-general for infectious diseases at the World Health Organisation and investigated the first Ebola outbreak in 1976.

He said he believed the Queen was right in her concerns.

In a post on the British Monarchy’s Facebook page, ‘fans’ were told Her Majesty was at the event to launch The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs.

‘The Academy will offer potential and established leaders from around the world the opportunity to spend up to twelve months as Academy fellows at Chatham House. Fellows of the Academy will develop their thinking on the most pressing national and international challenges facing their countries and regions and work together to craft innovative responses’ it said.