BOSSES at oil and gas firms are to be given guidance over the risk of workers in the industry arriving in Scotland from Africa while carrying the Ebola virus.

Although health authorities have said the chance of an Ebola case being identified in the UK is low, north-east Scotland has been pinpointed as being at a higher risk due to increased levels of travel between Aberdeen and west Africa because of the buoyant oil industry in both locations.

As a result, advice from health experts is to be distributed within the sector in Scotland within the coming days.

Dr Kitty Smith, medical lead for travel medicine and international health at Health Protection Scotland (HPS), this week gave a presentation to key industry figures at an event in Aberdeen on the topic of Ebola, which can be carried for 21 days before symptoms develop.

Robert Paterson, health and safety director with industry body Oil and Gas UK, said the organisation was taking the risk posed by Ebola "very seriously".

He added: "We are in close dialogue with Health Protection Scotland, as well as taking guidance from Public Health England, the International Association of Oil and Gas producers and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

"Any risk of the virus coming to Scotland from expat workers or individuals visiting friends and relations is currently assessed as being low. However, we will continue to work closely with HPS and other stakeholders to produce guidance documents for imminent dissemination across industry."

In recent years, strong links between Aberdeen and west Africa have emerged, with Nigeria in particular identified as a lucrative market for Scottish firms. The global nature of the oil industry means some employees travel regularly between Africa and Scotland.

Dr Smith said the risk of ­exposure could be reduced by limiting travel to affected countries.

Advice is being issued to oil firms after north-east Scotland MSP Alex Johnstone raised the issue at Holyrood last week.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said a range of measures the oil and gas industry should consider taking to protect workers were being discussed.

Although a small number of Ebola cases have been identified in Nigeria, the outbreak there has been largely contained, with the last identified in late August.

Oil drilling also takes place off the coasts of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the countries worst hit by Ebola. Almost all oil workers are based in onshore stations, potentially exposing them to the virus. Representative of Shell and BP said the firms were monitoring the situation closely.

Hugh Pennington, emeritus Professor of Bacteriology at Aberdeen University, said there was a potential risk due to the city's links with the oil industry, although the chances of an Ebola case being identified remained low.

A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said frontline staff, including GPs, were being issued with the latest advice and guidance on a continuing basis.

A Scottish Government spokesman said HPS work "on an ongoing basis with the industry to ensure they are prepared to deal effectively with the risks posed by Ebola". She added: "However it should be noted that the risk remains low and that most activity of the oil and gas industry is located in Nigeria, where the last case was confirmed on August 30."