Doctors Ebola suspicion in Dusseldorf

In Germany, a new Ebola suspected case has occurred. After a stay in Guinea, a male patient in Bochum was suspected of having Ebola, according to a statement from the responsible health department in Dusseldorf. The affected man was still at night by the fire department Dusseldorf under special security precautions and under the direction of dr. Frank Sensen was transported from the Düsseldorf Health Department to the University of Düsseldorf.

So far, the final diagnosis of the Ebola suspicion by the University of Düsseldorf in cooperation with the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNI) is still pending. The results are expected to be available on Monday afternoon, according to the health department's announcement. As a precautionary measure, all necessary safety precautions were taken. There is no danger to the population, according to official sources.

Highest security guaranteed
In the case of an Ebola suspicion, according to the state capital of Dusseldorf, a routine plan is used, which was thoroughly practiced by the participants from the university hospital, health department and fire department. After finding the Ebola suspicion, a transport in the "intensive care ambulance" was initiated, which was accompanied by six other fire service vehicles and two police cars. In the university hospital, the patient was placed on the state-of-the-art special isolation ward, which can be completely sealed off from the outside world and which is part of the disease alert plan of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Not least due to structural and technical precautions, the highest level of safety can be guaranteed here.

No danger to the population
"In the special insulation station, a complete shielding of the safety area and a control of the air flows through several staggered vacuum levels are made in order to safely prevent a transfer of dangerous bacteria into the environment," said the state capital. It is also prevented by special devices that the pathogens can enter the sewage system. It ensures a complete protection of the patients, the visitors and the attending staff. "A danger of the population by the transport and the treatment of the patient can be excluded after human discretion", so Professor Dr. med. Andreas Meyer-Falcke, health department of the state capital.

Ebola not yet defeated in Guinea
The current Ebola suspicion case shows that travel to the West African states Guinea and Sierra Leone are currently still burdened with additional risks. In Liberia, however, the situation seems to be largely under control after the ebola epidemic subsides. In Guinea, however, the World Health Organization (WHO) still registered 33 new Ebola infections during the week of April 20-26. However, in the meantime, almost 100 new infections were reported weekly from Guinea to the WHO in the middle of March, so that a positive development of the number of cases can be observed here as well. In Guinea, a total of almost 3,600 people have been affected by the current epidemic and 2,377 people have not survived the infection. All affected West African countries together have more than 26,000 Ebola infections and about 10,900 deaths, according to the WHO. (Fp)

Picture credits: Michael Bührke