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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 21, 2014 4:31 PM IST
The European Union (EU) has decided to intensify efforts to protect its citizens, health workers against the ongoing spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa. Objective information is necessary to be used to promote public awareness and preparedness on Ebola, Xinhua quoted the Council of the EU as saying in a statement Monday.
Moreover, continuous consultations and information sharing on issues and measures to be taken to protect the EU and its citizens from potential contamination are important, it added. The EU said that it will provide a guarantee that international health workers who volunteer, once infected, will be provided with appropriate care locally or through medical evacuation within available resources, to encourage additional health personnel to work on the ground. (Read: How the Ebola virus spreads in humans)
The EU is also preparing to nominate a possible EU coordinator to ensure the most effective engagement between the EU, member states and the United Nations, said Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. (Read: Ebola virus signs and symptoms you need to watch out for!)
The EU called for the establishment of a clearing house/reserve pool of health experts from member states on voluntary basis for quick and targeted deployment in health crises. Concerning the transmission of the virus, the EU also called on member states to consider using visa information systems and transport carriers' information to anticipate potential arrivals of disease infection. (Read: Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ))
Here s are some interesting facts about the Ebola virus that make it so deadly.
It can kill within seven days: Unlike other viruses (like HIV) that can remain dormant in a person for years without causing the disease, Ebola violently multiplies until the viral particles are amplified to about 100 million viral particles in a droplet of blood. Further, without resting in a dormant stage the virus kills the host to find a new one. The fatality rate of the disease is 60 percent.
There is no vaccine or treatment available: What makes this virus deadly is the fact that researchers have not been able to find an effective treatment or preventive technique to combat the virus and the spread of the disease. The experimental drug Zmapp has shown promising results but the safety and efficacy of the drug are to be evaluated. So, as of now, neither do we have an effective form of therapy nor do we have a vaccine to prevent the disease.
Attacks every part of the human body: Ebola only needs a host cell that can help it produce multiple copies of itself. What worsens the condition is the fact that the virus does not need a specific type of cell to multiply (unlike other deadly diseases). According to studies, except for skeletal muscles and bones, the virus is known to infect every part of the human body. Connective tissues, the ones that hold your internal organs in place, are primary targets of the virus. Read more about 10 reasons that make the Ebola virus deadly for humans
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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