Sierra Leone declares state of emergency to prevent Ebola

The Ebola epidemic in West Africa is becoming increasingly serious as President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, has declared a public health emergency in the country and the Government of Liberia has ordered closure of all schools in their territory until further notice banning all public officials to attend their work, in order to contain the virus.

The president of Sierra Leone has said that a quarantine was imposed in areas where there had been the epicenters of the spread of the disease and has ordered security forces to ensure compliance with health protection measures. Koroma has confirmed that he suspends the trip hehad planned to go to the U.S. to attend next week ‘s summit between China and Africa to address this crisis, in which the virus has so far claimed the lives of 729 people in countries in West Africa, according to the latest data from the World Health Organization. The vast majority of the victims are in Liberia, Guinea Conakry and Sierra Leone.

For his part, the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf justified the Wednesday night emergency measures to close schools in the country and declare a mandatory rest for officials on the need to halt the spread of this hemorrhagic fever, which has claimed 129 lives only in his country. “Without exception, all schools will be closed pending further order by the Ministry of Education,” said the president. “All non-essential personnel, to be determined by the relevant Minister or Head of Agency will initiate a 30-day furlough,” he added.

The government has declared this Friday, August 1, a nonworking day, to be used for disinfecting all public facilities. Border crossings that remain open in the country (airports and some of the main points of entry) will be controlled by the Bureau of Immigration, which monitor the implementation of preventive health measures and screening for Ebola. All markets in border areas will be closed “until further notice” and some communities may be quarantined so that health workers could only get in and out of these areas.

The Ministry of Health is studying the cremation of all victims of the deadly virus, to prevent tampering of the dead and the contamination of water sources. The Liberian Executive recommended citizens avoid leisure centers and public spectacles and warned that rising prices of health products are considered “a crime against the people of Liberia.” Chlorine, soap, disinfectants and bins must be imported “tax free,” said the president.

A first case of Ebola was reported in Nigeria on Tuesday of last week, when a Liberian citizen died in a hospital in the capital, Lagos. The government closed the health center where he was admitted and isolated personnel who had contact with him before his death, as well as those who traveled with him from Liberia. Nigeria’s largest airline, Arik Air, has chosen, meanwhile, suspended all flights to Liberia and Sierra Leone as a preventive measure against Ebola.

Meanwhile, the British customs staff unions have stated that they do not feel adequately prepared to deal with a possible carrier of the virus at the time traveler arrives in the UK. “The staff is very worried. They are often the first point of contact for people coming out of a plane and the question is what to do if they find someone that does not look right on the border, ” said Lucy Moreton, general secretary of the workers’ Union of British immigration services on Thursday on BBC Radio 4 .

The disease, which is transmitted by direct contact with blood and body fluids of infected persons or animals, causing severe bleeding and can have a mortality rate of 90%. This is the first time identified Ebola epidemic in West Africa is confirmed, because until now always had occurred in Central Africa, in countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and Gabon.

Pakistan has not made any preventive arrangements to handle the passengers arriving in the country from the countries most affected by the Ebola epidemic.

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Posted by Khalil Khan on Aug 2 2014. Filed under World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.