Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Published : September 10, 2014 3:24 PM IST
Health ministers in southern Africa have agreed to take coordinated action, including quarantining people travelling from Ebola virus disease-affected West African countries. Southern African Development Community (SADC) health ministers held an extraordinary meeting in Zimbabwe to discuss their response to the Ebola outbreak, Xinhua reported.
A statement released after the meeting Tuesday said that authorities in the region will screen travellers at all critical points of entry and exit and people with a history of close contact with those infected, the infected dead bodies and the infected animals will be quarantined for a period of up to 21 days. The 15 member states of the SADC were also urged to discourage their citizens from travelling to the affected countries, as well as to avoid hosting mass gatherings involving people from affected countries unless it was absolutely essential.
The common position on travel restrictions becomes the first clearest sign of a regional response to the epidemic. So far, only one country in the region, the Democratic Republic of Congo, has recorded Ebola cases from a separate outbreak not related to the outbreak in West Africa.
David Parirenyatwa, chairperson of the SADC health ministers, who is also Zimbabwe's health minister, emphasised the need for cross-border consultations to facilitate exchange of information, and agreeing on joint collaborative actions and for SADC member states to strengthen surveillance, case finding and detection, reporting and contact tracing, and sharing information on Ebola with WHO in a timely manner. The epidemic has now claimed more than 2,000 lives in West Africa since its outbreak in Guinea this year.
Educate yourself about Ebola: Knowing the symptoms, modes of transmission and preventive measures is the first step to prevent the spread of the disease. This information is especially important for those who are travelling to and from affected areas in West Africa.
Avoid crowded places: Direct contactis an easier way of transfer of virus. So, the sick should be isolated from healthy individuals to prevent spread of the disease.
Use protective gear: For healthcare workers and medical staff, it is absolutely mandatory to use protective gear including gloves and special masks and a body suit to prevent exposure to the virus. Even healthy individuals living in affected West African countries should use gloves and mask to prevent spread of the disease. (Read: 10 reasons that make the Ebola virus deadly for humans)
Do not eat under-cooked meat: The virus seems to have transferred to humans through animals. Although bats are suspected as the original reservoir of the virus, it is also been found to spread to other animals. In any case, it is best to avoid eating undercooked meat. Read more about 8 tips to prevent Ebola infection
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: IANS
You may also like to read:
For more articles on diseases & conditions , visit our diseases & conditions section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.
