Ebola epidemic emergency proclaimed in Nigeria

Ebola is spreading: Nigeria is calling for a state of emergency

08/10/2014

Nigeria, the most populous state in Africa, declared a national emergency on Friday over the Ebola epidemic. Several cases of Ebola have been reported in the country, more than 100 possibly infected have been quarantined. The epidemic is apparently spreading further and further, even in Côte d'Ivoire there is now an increased level of alarm.

State of emergency in the most populous country in Africa
In response to the spread of the Ebola epidemic, the Government of Nigeria, on the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared a national emergency on Friday. According to the Department of Health, two people have been killed by Ebola in Africa's most populous state. As announced on Saturday, two more people became infected with the virus, and the country also quarantined 139 potentially infected people who had Ebola symptoms, the daily reported „Punch“. The number of confirmed cases is now nine. In the fight against the plague, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has granted 1.9 billion naira (around 8.7 million euros) for emergency aid.

Do without big gatherings
Propagation could be dramatic, especially in the Nigerian business metropolis of Lagos, where several people are already being infected or under surveillance, as it is one of the largest cities in the world, with more than 12 million inhabitants. Religious leaders were invited by President Jonathan to renounce large gatherings. In addition, schools should extend their summer holidays. Carriage of corpses to other communities must be stopped and all deaths due to illness should be reported to the authorities. Furthermore, the President warned against the distribution of false information about the disease, as this is misleading and could cause a mass panic.

Increased alert also in Ivory Coast
Since Friday night, there is also an increased alert level in Ivory Coast. A further spread of Ebola in West Africa was according to estimate of the US health authorities „unavoidable“. And the head of operations of the aid organization Doctors Without Borders, Bart Janssens, repeated that the virus was „out of control“. Ebola first broke out in Guinea a few months ago and then spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia. Of the countries affected, 1,779 confirmed and suspected cases have been reported to the WHO so far, and at least 961 people have died. As reported (Global Ebola Ebola - Low Danger in Europe), WHO has now responded to the epidemic with its strongest tool, declaring the disease an international health emergency.

Virus is transmitted through body fluids
Remedy or a vaccine against Ebola does not exist so far. The dangerous virus is transmitted by contact with blood or other bodily fluids of those affected or deceased. Experts exclude according to the current state of knowledge transmission through the air. According to the WHO, the first symptoms of Ebola infection are observed after an incubation period of two to 21 days. The infectious disease usually begins with flu-like symptoms such as body aches, headache, sore throat and fever. Infectious people often experience violent diarrhea, blood in the stool and urine, nausea and vomiting, and internal and external bleeding.

Intensify measures for containment
The leaders of the affected countries had been asked by WHO experts to declare a state of emergency and to personally inform the population in speeches about the correct handling of the virus. In addition, countries should step up measures to contain them, for example by checking outgoing people at airports and border checkpoints for possible Ebola infection and, if necessary, refusing to leave. All who had contact with infected persons should be prohibited from traveling. Non-affected countries such as Germany were only generally invited by WHO to prepare for possible Ebola cases and to provide for such structures. A few days ago at Frankfurt airport, there was Ebola information material for passengers from Nigeria, which explains the typical symptoms, transmission routes and the course of the disease. (Ad)