The World Health Organization has
declared the Ebola Epidemic an
International Health Emergency,
stating that “a coordinated
international response is deemed
essential to stop and reverse the
international spread of Ebola”
which has killed almost a 1000
people in four west African
countries.
At an emergency meeting today
August 8th, the Geneva based UN
health agency said the declaration
of an international emergency will
help in raising the level of
vigilance for transmission of the
virus.
WHO advised countries identified
to have been infested by the
deadly Ebola virus – Guinea,
Nigeria, Sierra Lieone and Liberia –
to declare a state of emergency
and that there should be no
general ban on international travel
or trade on these countries.
Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s head of
health security in a telephone
interview with reporters stressed
that Ebola is not a mysterious
disease and that with the right
steps and measures to deal with
infected people, Ebola’s spread
could be stopped.
“This is not a mysterious disease.
This is an infectious disease that
can be contained. t is not a virus
that is spread through the air.” he
said
The WHO says this current
outbreak is the most severe in the
almost 40 years since Ebola was
first identified in humans majorly
due to the weaknesses in health
facilities of the countries currently
affected. It also said inexperience
in dealing with Ebola outbreaks
and misconceptions of the disease,
including how it is transmitted,
“continue to be a major challenge
in some countries”.
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