The organization sent experts to help vaccinate against the disease in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which are facing local outbreaks of the virus.
A World Health Organization (WHO) stated that there is a high risk that an epidemic of ebola develop in some countries of the Western Africa, especially in Guinea, in Sierra Leone and on Liberia. To justify this conclusion, the international entity mentioned on Thursday, 18, that the size, duration and origins of the outbreak that is already happening in the region at the moment are not known and that, in addition, these countries have limited capacity. to stop the spread of the deadly virus. WHO also pointed out that although some borders are restricted due to the new coronavirus pandemic, there are still many movements allowed between countries that pose a risk to the spread of Ebola. For this reason, the guideline is for countries neighboring Guinea to be prepared for possible cases of the disease, which causes intense hemorrhage and organ failure, in their territories.
This Sunday, the 14th, Guinea’s Ministry of Health informed the WHO that a group of people had been infected with Ebola after meeting for the funeral of a nurse in the city of Nzérékoré. So far, seven cases regarding this event have been confirmed, five of which resulted in the death of the infected and two are being treated in isolation. The aggravating factor is that another 192 people probably had contact with the sick – and they all live near the borders with Liberia and Costa do Marfim.
Guinea will receive more than 11,000 Ebola vaccines that will begin to be applied to the population next Monday, 22. “We hope that the experience of the previous epidemic will be of great use to us now. This time, we can say that we are prepared ”, said the adviser to the Guinea Ministry of Health, Mohammed Lamine Yansane. WHO has sent at least 30 vaccination specialists to the country and another 20 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the vaccination campaign was officially launched on February 15, following the declaration of another outbreak of Ebola in the northeast, on February 7.
* With information from EFE
