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Ebola in Guinea: No Indian in Guinea infected with Ebola

Ebola in Guinea: No Indian in Guinea infected with Ebola

Written by Editorial Team |Published : November 29, 2014 5:09 PM IST

Accra (Ghana), Nov 29 (IANS): Recently, the Health Ministry confirmed that a 26-year old man, who worked as a pharmacist in Liberia, is the only Indian who died due Ebola infection. The man succumbed to the deadly disease on September 7 and was buried locally where he died in Liberia, as per the protocol set by the WHO.

Apart from Liberia, other Ebola hit countries also have Indian residents. Guinea, one of the worst affected countries, has about 500 Indians based in various industries including agriculture and trading. According to Indian national based in Conakry, as of now, no Indian national in Guinea is known to have been infected by the Ebola virus disease. 'A number of Indian professionals (engineers and in other fields) are also working in Guinea,' Conakry-based John Rao told IANS. Amongst them is Topaz Group of Multi-Industries, owned by the Honorary Indian Consul, Ashok Vaswaney, which is one of the biggest employers in the country. (Read: Has the Ebola virus really come to India?)

'Since the outbreak of the disease, the Indian community has coped 'quite well, indeed,' adding that, 'there has been no panic in the community'. 'Some people have sent back their families to India. All usual precautions like washing hands are being taken,' he said on the phone. (Read:Ebola in India: Passengers from Ebola-hit nations must carry No-Ebola certificate)

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Rao praised Vaswaney for providing regular updates on the Ebola situation and the various precautions needed to be taken. 'They (the consul office) have also provided all consular assistance for those wishing to travel back to India,' he added. 'The Indian community has extended assistance to the Guinea government's efforts to fight the disease and has donated generously toward the same,' Rao said.

The Guinean government is itself facing a big problem to deal with the disease because of the attitude of the people who do not want to accept its seriousness which is one reason why it had spread so fast among some communities. As a result, the country's President, Alpha Conde, has threatened to use force to crack down on the people who were still not following simple rules to contain the disease.

In September, eight members of an Ebola awareness team were murdered by angry villagers and President Conde had said that 'there are still people who think Ebola is fiction'. 'If people don't want to be treated, we will use force because we won't allow the illness to spread despite all our efforts,' he added. (Read: 5 reasons the ebola virus should never come to India)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says a total of 15,351 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola have been reported in six affected countries -- Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain, and the US -- and two previously affected countries -- Nigeria, Senegal -- as of Nov 18.

There have been 5,459 reported deaths. A total of 588 healthcare workers are known to have been infected with EVD: 94 in Guinea, 341 in Liberia, two in Mali; 11 in Nigeria, 136 in Sierra Leone, one in Spain, and three in the United States of America (two were infected in the US and one in Guinea). A total of 337 HCWs have died. (Read: 8 tips to prevent Ebola infection)

Photo source: Getty images


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