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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : September 25, 2014 7:54 PM IST
Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone, said that the Country has put 3 more districts under isolated in a view to stop the progression of the deadly Ebola virus which has claimed more than 3,000 lives in African countries since its outbreak early this year. The remarks were made in a nationwide radio and TV broadcast on Wednesday saying that the Government has decided to isolate Moyamba district in the south and Port Loko and Bombali districts in the north of the country, on an immediate basis.
These decisions, according to the president, were taken in consultation with all the partners and 'with our people's avowed commitment to support the extra measures to end the Ebola outbreak', Xinhua reported. He explained that these measures were also taken 'to sustain our efforts in overcoming the challenge that were revealed during the 'OSE TO OSE' (house to house) campaign Sep 19 to 21.' He warned that Kenema and Kailahun districts in the east remained isolated.
He further announced that six chiefdoms each in the Bombali and Port Loko districts and three chiefdoms in the Moyamba district have also been isolated, and noted that residents in these chiefdoms must not travel to any other chiefdom until further notice. According to the president, corridors for travel to and from non-quarantined districts have also been established but noted that vehicles and travellers must not alight within the quarantined area and must 'only travel along the corridors between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.'This makes five districts to be quarantined since the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic. He said names of hotspots to be quarantined in the capital city Freetown and three other districts in the country would be announced later.
The head of state noted that the isolation of districts and chiefdoms will definitely pose 'great difficulties for our people in those districts, but the life of every one and the survival of our country take precedence over these difficulties'. 'These are trying times,' he went on but stated that 'we are a resilient people, a people that have shown their ability to unite and stand up to overcome difficulties'. He gave the assurance that the government and development partners would continue to improve support to quarantined citizens to ease these difficulties.
What is Ebola virus?
The Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a severe condition caused by a virus from the Filoviridae family. Known to be a condition that is transmitted from animals to humans, this virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal. Also read: Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention
Early symptoms of Ebola
Fever: Increase in body temperature is the first defence mechanism that the body uses to kill any foreign particle invading the body. When Ebola infects the body, it causes a release of various compounds like cytokines and histamines that pass on the signals of increasing body temperature. In fact, Ebola virus disease is also called the Ebola haemorrhagic fever, where the temperature can go above 38.6 C or 101.5 F.
Headache: It is the most common symptom of Ebola infection after fever, present in almost 96 percent of the cases. Nausea and headache along with fever present a typical case of common cold and flu. At this stage, the symptoms can be confused with other common infections.
Stomach pain: A few viral particles invade the liver and start destroying the hepatocytes. New virions start damaging the intestinal cells causing abdominal pain.
Drop in blood pressure: The cytokines and histamines released by the immune cells, soon after the entry of the virus in the body, increases the permeability of the cells lining the blood vessels. This causes leakage of water from the blood into the surrounding tissues and a sudden drop in blood pressure. Read more signs and symptoms of Ebola virus
With inputs IANS
Image: Getty Images
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