The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday hinted at nearly 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola, and 220 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
While seeking local remedies against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned Nigerians against relying on bitter kola, salt water, herbs, seasoning cubes and other unverified substances.
Meanwhile, Uganda, where health authorities reported seven confirmed cases linked to the outbreak, including two healthcare workers and one confirmed death, has announced the temporary closure of its border with DRC, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the Ebola outbreak.WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said yesterday that the Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Ituri province was spreading in an environment where insecurity, attacks on health facilities and population movements were making it
“nearly impossible” to trace contacts and isolate cases.
“We cannot build community trust or isolate the sick while bombs are falling,” he said.The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, first identified in Uganda in 2007, has yet to get an approved vaccine or treatment.
WHO, however, warned that the outbreak was continuing to spread geographically, with evidence of ongoing cross-border transmission. The outbreak is centred in Ituri province but has now spread across 11 health zones, with cases also reported in North Kivu – including in Butembo and Goma – and in South Kivu, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Health officials say the virus is spreading through family clusters and health facilities, with infections linked to caregiving, family gatherings and unsafe funeral practices.IN a public health advisory, NCDC cautioned that the spread of false claims and homemade remedies could worsen panic and undermine public health response efforts amid renewed concerns over Ebola outbreaks in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
The advisory, entitled ‘Ebola Virus Disease (EVD): Myths vs Facts’, was issued to counter growing misinformation circulating online following recent cases recorded in countries including DRC and Uganda.
Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case recently, the agency said the country remains on alert because of increased cross-border movement and international travel linked to affected regions.
Responding to claims on social media suggesting that substances such as salt water, bitter kola, herbs and seasoning cubes could prevent or cure Ebola, the NCDC noted that such remedies have no scientific basis.
“There is presently no approved home remedy for EVD. Early reporting, supportive medical care, and strict infection prevention and control measures are critical.
Avoid self-medication and seek care promptly if symptoms develop,” the agency said.Director-general of the NCDC, Jide Idris, had said the agency’s latest assessment showed that Nigeria faced a high risk of exposure because of population movement and the difficulty of detecting Ebola symptoms in the early stages.
UGANDA’S decision to close borders was announced yesterday by its Ministry of Health following the confirmation of seven cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola since the outbreak was detected in DRC on May 15.
Permanent Secretary of Uganda’s Health Ministry, Diana Atwine, told reporters that the border closure “takes immediate effect”.
She explained that only authorised Ebola response personnel, humanitarian workers, food and cargo transporters, and security operations would be allowed access under strict health screening and monitoring measures.
Atwine also announced that all individuals arriving from the DRC would be subjected to a 21-day quarantine under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and district surveillance teams.
Health authorities will also conduct routine monitoring of pupils in schools located near the border areas as part of efforts to strengthen disease surveillance.
