The centre, which will treat patients with illnesses such as tuberculosis, malaria and hepatitis, will open at the end of February at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Leicester has one of the highest incidence rates of tuberculosis in the UK.

"We will be able to keep patient with highly infectious diseases in separate rooms and give them special nursing care," ward sister Marilyn Wilson said.

High pressure

"We will have two high-security rooms where, if we have an outbreak of smallpox, we would have the facility for high dependency isolation in these rooms."

Leicester's hospitals have already treated cases of HIV, malaria and even typhoid.

A special system makes sure the pressure is higher outside the patient's room than inside, so no air escapes.

"If we have a patient who is severely immune comprised, it works so no infection outside can get inside," she said.

The new section will replace the old ward and offer state-of-the-art facilities for patients.