One of the hardest things about Ebola is that showing love can make things worse. You cannot wash the body of a loved one who has died from Ebola. You cannot touch a sick relative showing symptoms. You must abstain from sex if you have the virus  and use condoms for three months after you recover.

Prince and Angie in Liberia
We have spent the past six years living happily and cherishing every moment of our lives. Since the outbreak of this deadly Ebola virus we have stepped back from some of our social activities. We no longer explore the outdoors and we visit our families much less frequently. This Valentine's Day will be different for us and we'll especially miss being outdoors, but we will still celebrate at home.

Idrissa in Sierra Leone
This time around Valentine's Day will be celebrated in a different way with my partner. Things we used to do like kissing and making love will not happen, even though we are not victims of Ebola. We thought it fit to let go of Valentine's Day this year, even though it will be hard for us.

Jeremiah and Desiama in Freetown
Ebola has greatly affected us. Previously I would take my lady to a beach of her choice around Freetown and eat the food she had prepared and I would surprise her with a gift. This time around we won't celebrate it that way, we will stay indoors and have our celebration.

Lansana's partner in Freetown
The Ebola virus has had a negative affect on my relationship - my partner and I cannot even be close to each other. We follow the prevention rules such as washing our hands and using hand-sanitiser to protect us. We used to celebrate Valentine's Day in a flamboyant way by going to the beach or nightclub but this one will be observed quietly, just me and my lovely partner.

Mr and Mrs Gbla
We thank God for our relationship. Since the Ebola outbreak came to Sierra Leone, we have been much more careful in our daily lives to avoid contracting the virus.

A quiet celebration
This time our Valentine's Day celebration will be quiet and different from usual. My partner and I will not go out, we will stay at home, watch movies, take some photos and enjoy the delicious meal I will prepare.

A camping trip
It's been challenging for us even though Ebola is not in Ghana. My girlfriend travels to Liberia on business a lot and she gets tested every time she returns. We'll go camping this Valentine's Day.

Ibrahim's GF

Ibrahim in Kenema, Sierra Leone
I was temporarily separated from my wife for a couple of months during the Ebola outbreak, as I stayed in the epicentre of Kenema. We were locked down while my wife stayed in Freetown. Now she intends to come to visit me during Valentine's Day. It'll be hard to resist touching her. We may make visits to relatives in the community who have lost loved ones. It is difficult to celebrate this day joyously, so we would rather commemorate loved ones.


These stories and photos were shared by users of the BBC Ebola WhatsApp service. To subscribe, text "join" to +44 7702 348651.

[Source]

Learn more »

The #ISurvivedEbola campaign has released its first video that feature Ebola survivors from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The multimedia campaign engages Ebola survivors to highlight stories of hope and resilience:

This is the first video in a series that will be rolled out as part of #ISurvivedEbola, a multidimensional trans-media campaign that places West African Ebola survivors and their stories at the center of efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Ebola survivor William Poopei narrates the video, telling the story of how he and his son, Patrick, contracted and recovered from Ebola in Liberia. In a voice that only occasionally belies the grief he has experienced, William tells the world how he lost his wife and 13 other family members to suspected Ebola, and how early treatment helped him and Patrick recover. He closes the piece with a commitment to continue to educate his fellow Liberians so that they can protect themselves – a commitment that will drive #ISurvivedEbola.

---

---

Learn more »

Health services of Cyprus were set on alert after information that an Austrian Airlines’ aircraft that landed at the Larnaca airport had a passenger on board who may have been infected by the fatal Ebola virus.

Cypriot Health Ministry announced that a man on board a flight from Vienna to Cyprus was examined upon his arrival in Larnaca and had no fever, contrary to earlier reports. Although, according to latest information, the suspected infected passenger is currently on a US monitoring program for possible Ebola infection.

Cypriot state authorities informed the US about the possible case when the Israeli national was en route and therefore, upon its arrival in Cyprus, the aircraft was immediately subjected to the Health Ministry’s plan designed for the prevention of an Ebola outbreak.

As the flight’s passengers revealed, no one informed them regarding the possible threat and they found out only when told by Cypriot media. “We were not even informed while at the airport, waiting for our luggage. The plane parked far away and someone came and brought us some forms to fill our data. We were even told that it is a procedural matter. After half an hour, we were released to go get our luggage. Again, no one informed us,” a passenger said to Cypriot news network.

The Israeli national was put under observation by US authorities some 21 days ago after a recent trip to an unnamed African country in which Ebola infection is high.

Since last year, there have been several Ebola outbreak fears in Cyprus, although none of those examined resulted positive for the disease. It should be noted that the island has fully complied with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations concerning the fatal virus and its action plan to address the disease is ready to be activated when necessary.

Regarding the latest case, the Health Minister said that the man has requested to fly back to Vienna as he did not want to be placed in quarantine in Cyprus.

Credit: TGR

Learn more »

Sierra Leone has announced Friday that all public celebrations over Christmas and New Year are banned due to the Ebola crisis.

"The government is planning to keep people indoors during Christmas through Boxing Day and New Year," said Jarrah Kawusu-Konte, a spokesman for Sierra Leone's president.

"When you have parties, the risks are very high. We are very anxious to break the chain of transmission through parties and gatherings," Kawusu-Konte said. He did not specify the date when the ban would take effect, according to The Malayan Insider.

Soldiers are to be deployed on the streets throughout the festive period to keep people indoors.

Palo Conteh, head of the government's Ebola response unit, told reporters in the capital Freetown there would be "no Christmas and New Year celebrations this year".

"We will ensure that everybody remains at home to reflect on Ebola," he said.

"Military personnel will be on the streets at Christmas and the New Year to stop any street celebrations," he said, without saying which areas would be targeted, reported the Digital Journal.

While Islam is the dominant religion in Sierra Leone, Christmas is widely celebrated with more than a quarter of the population being Christian.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) figures, Sierra Leone has overtaken Liberia as the country with the most Ebola cases, with more than 8,000 cases and some 1,900 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

Credit: News Every Day

Learn more »

In the fight against Ebola, Australia has said: No thanks. Australia’s Immigration Minister, Scott Morrison, has announced that his government would not be issuing any more visas to West Africa’s Ebola-affected countries and was halting humanitarian aid operations in the region.

The decision, which was announced in a televised session of parliament on Monday, went into immediate effect and comes after 11 persons previously isolated out of Ebola concerns were released after testing negative to the Ebola virus.

Watch video of announcement below:

---

---

Holders of permanent visas in Ebola-hotspots issued by the Australian government would not be barred from entry into Australia, but will have to undergo three weeks of isolation at points of departure deemed Ebola risk zones, in addition to isolation regimes upon re-entry into Australia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and medical experts have repeatedly warned of restrictive measures against returning health workers fearing the potential in discouraging more international volunteers at Ebola hotspots.

To date the Ebola crisis has resulted in over 10, 000 recorded cases of transmissions and over 5000 related deaths.

**********

The announcement came as a "surprise," the Australian Medical Association (AMA) president Brian Owler told CNN, who said that the chance of the disease entering the country through a migrant from the region was very low.

"It's not necessarily a very well-focused decision. The bigger picture needs to be on our preparedness at home but more importantly our involvement in West Africa itself, putting doctors and nurses and other logistical elements in place and trying to combat the crisis there."

He added that the government had sought the advice of "very few people," and had excluded the AMA.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said: "I not always agree with the Australian Medical Association, but I take them seriously and I think that the AMA invariably has the national interest at heart."

The announcement that no refugees will be accepted from West Africa must be overturned, the Australian Greens have said.

"While the government drags its feet in responding to the Ebola crisis, Scott Morrison has slammed the door on West African refugees," the Greens' immigration spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

"The immigration minister's crusade against those in need has spread to West Africa and is simply unacceptable.

"This miserly, selfish and cruel announcement from the government is not a reflection of our nation's character."

**********

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan told CNN's Richard Quest that isolationism was not the answer to the current health crisis.

"The doctors from (the) WHO, to the CDC here and other countries have indicated that the worst thing you want to do is close off the borders and come up with this sort of restrictions and scare away potential help," he said.

"Our concern should be with the public safety and public health but we have to accept that the only way we can deal with it in the medium to long term is to stop the epidemic."

Concerns are being raised that the Australian response is largely engineered to create political capital, particularly given the country's well-documented hard line on immigration.

"There have been people here in Australia that have been asking for this kind of approach and I think the main drive is political," Owler said.

"Of course it will always be dressed up as a solution to keeping Australians safe but in actual fact the people who are coming from West Africa, a number of them are coming on humanitarian grounds so there are concerns about why their visas are being denied, and for what period of time they'll be denied for."

The nonprofit Medicines Sans Frontiers, also known as Doctors Without Borders, echoed the sentiment, saying that "developed countries' prevention strategies ... seem to have more political than medical implications."

Abbott defended the government's decision, pointing to an AUS $18 million ($15.9 million) investment to combat the spread of the disease in West Africa, saying his "government are taking very serious steps to address the Ebola crisis."

He added that the Australian authorities "are continuing to talk to our friends and partners about what more might be done to address the situation in West Africa," and that he did "not rule out Australia doing more."

The Australian move follows North Korea's tourist ban, also instigated over fears of the spread of the disease.

Credit: CNN, BBC News, ABC-AU

Learn more »

It's been 46 days since the last new case.

The World Health Organization declared Nigeria free of Ebola on Monday, a containment victory in an outbreak that has stymied other countries’ response efforts.

The milestone came at about 11 a.m. local time, or 6 a.m., E.T. The outbreak has killed more than 4,500 in West Africa is remains unchecked in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, so Nigeria is by no means immune to another outbreak.

“It’s possible to control Ebola. It’s possible to defeat Ebola. We’ve seen it here in Nigeria,” Nigerian Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu told TIME. “If any cases emerge in the future, it will be considered—by international standards—a separate outbreak. If that happens, Nigeria will be ready and able to confront it exactly as we have done with this outbreak.”

---

---

For the WHO to declare Nigeria as Ebola-free, the country had to make it 42 days with no new cases (double the incubation period), verify that it actively sought out all possible contacts, and show negative test results for any suspected cases.

Nigeria had 20 cases of Ebola after a Liberian-American man named Patrick Sawyer flew into Lagos and collapsed at the airport. Health care workers treating Sawyer were infected, and as it spread it ultimately killed eight people, a low number next to the thousands of cases and deaths in other countries. Nigeria’s health system is considered more robust, but there was significant concern from experts that a case would pop up in one of the country’s dense-populated slums and catch fire.

---

---

So what did Nigeria do right? Chukwu and Dr. Faisal Shuaib of the country’s Ebola Emergency Operation Center, broke it down for TIME.

Preparing early. Nigeria knew it was possible a case of Ebola would make it into the country, so officials got to work early by training health care workers on how to manage the disease, and disseminating information so the country knew what to expect.

Declaring an emergency—right away. When Nigeria had its first confirmed case of Ebola, the government declared a national public health emergency immediately. This allowed the Ministry of Health to form its Ebola Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is an assembly of public health experts within Nigeria as well as the WHO, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and groups like Doctors Without Borders. “[We] used a war-room approach to coordinate the outbreak response,” Shuaib said. “So you have a situation whereby government and staff of international development agencies are co-located in a designated facility where they are able to agree on strategies, develop one plan and implement this plan together.”

The EOC was in charge of contact tracing (the process of identifying and monitoring people who may have had direct or indirect contact with Ebola patients), implementing strict procedures for handling and treating patients, screening all individuals arriving or departing the country by land, air and sea, and communicating with the community. Some workers went door-to-door to offer Ebola-related education, and others involved religious and professional leaders. Social media was a central part of the education response.

Training local doctors. Nigerian doctors were trained by Doctors Without Borders and WHO, and treated patients in shifts with their oversight.

Managing fear. “Expectedly, people were scared of contracting the disease,” Shuaib said. “In the beginning, there was also some misinformation about available cures, so fear and inaccurate rumors had to be actively managed.” Nigeria used social media to to ramp up awareness efforts, and publicized patients who were successfully treated and discharged. “People began to realize that contracting Ebola was not necessarily a death sentence,” Shuai said. “Emphasizing that reporting early to the hospital boosts survival gave comfort that [a person] has some level of control over the disease prognosis.”

---

---

Keeping borders open. Nigeria has not closed its borders to travelers from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, saying the move would be counterproductive. “Closing borders tends to reinforce panic and the notion of helplessness,” Shuaib said. “When you close the legal points of entry, then you potentially drive people to use illegal passages, thus compounding the problem.” Shuaib said that if public health strategies are implemented, outbreaks can be controlled, and that closing borders would only stifle commercial activities in the countries whose economies are already struggling due to Ebola.

Remaining prepared for more patients. Even though this outbreak was contained, Nigeria is not slowing down its training and preparations for the possibility of more cases. “Outbreak response preparedness is a continuous process that requires constant review of the level of the response mechanisms in place to ensure that the health system is ready to jump into action at all levels,” Shuaib said. “There is no alternative to preparedness.”

Advocating for more international response. “The global community needs to consistently come together, act as one in any public health emergency, whether it is Ebola or a natural disaster.” Shuaib said. “While a lot has been done, it still falls short of what is necessary to get ahead of the curve. We must act now, not tomorrow, not next week.”

*Credits: WHO News & TIMES Magazine [Videos: TIME]

Learn more »

Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola after six weeks with no new cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

Africa's most populous country won praise for its swift response after an infected Liberian diplomat brought the disease there in July. The WHO officially declared Senegal Ebola-free on Friday.

The outbreak has killed more than 4,500 people in West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. An estimated 70% of those infected have died in those countries.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to discuss how to strengthen their response to the threat posed by Ebola.

European countries have committed more than 500m euros (£400m; $600m) but the UK is pressing to double that amount.

School Children in Nigeria watch their hands as they learn about Ebola prevention

The money is being sought to help reinforce over-stretched healthcare systems in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea and to mitigate the damage Ebola is doing to their economies.

Ahead of the talks, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier suggested the EU could send a civilian EU mission to West Africa that would serve as a platform for sending medical staff.

Another diplomat said there were plans for three countries to spearhead aid to the region - the UK for Sierra Leone, France for Guinea and the US for Liberia.

Earlier, the Spanish government said a nurse who became the first person to contract Ebola outside West Africa had tested negative for the virus.

The result suggests Teresa Romero, 44, is no longer infected although a second test is required before she can be declared free of Ebola.

Ms Romero contracted the virus when treating two infected patients in a Madrid hospital.

In another development, US health officials said most of the people quarantined after coming into contact with Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan had been given the all-clear. The 21-day monitoring period applied to about 50 people.

Two nurses at the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas became infected with Ebola after treating Mr Duncan, who was from Liberia. He died on 8 October.

On Sunday, the Pentagon announced it would prepare a 30-person rapid reaction medical support team that could provide help to civilian doctors in the US confronted with possible Ebola cases.

It said the team would not be sent to West Africa.

Nigeria praised
The WHO can declare an Ebola outbreak over if two incubation periods of 21 days pass with no new cases. The last reported case in Nigeria was discovered on 5 September.

The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says that although the nation is heaving a collective sigh of relief, experts warn that Ebola will probably return to Nigeria.

The outbreak there began when Patrick Sawyer, an American-Liberian citizen, was diagnosed with the illness in July.

How Ebola spreads

Nigeria declared a national public health emergency and Mr Sawyer later died of the disease, followed by seven Nigerians.

These included Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, who diagnosed Mr Sawyer and is credited with helping to contain the outbreak at its source.

Dr Adadevoh's son, Bankole Cardoso, told the BBC that because Mr Sawyer had been so quickly diagnosed, Nigeria was able to trace all those who could possibly have contracted the disease from him.

"That was probably the difference between us and our West African neighbours," he said.

John Vertefeuille, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that Nigeria had taken the right steps to contain the outbreak.

"Nigeria acted quickly and early and on a large scale" he told AFP news agency. "They acted aggressively, especially in terms of contact-tracing", he added.

Ebola virus disease (EVD)
- Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
- Spread by body fluids, such as blood and saliva
- Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 70%
- Incubation period is two to 21 days
- There is no proven vaccine or cure
- Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
- Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host

 *culled from BBC News

Learn more »

At some point over the last few months, fear of Ebola began to far outpace the spread of the actual disease. That's reportedly led to a growing prejudice against people from West Africa, the area most affected by Ebola this year.

Liberian-American television host Shoana Clarke Solomon said her 9-year-old-daughter has had to deal with such prejudice at her school on Staten Island, New York. In response, Solomon decided to combat misinformation about Ebola in the YouTube video, above, titled "I am Liberian, not a virus." At the time of this writing, the video has attracted more than 5,900 views.

"Imagine someone saying to your child, 'You're from Liberia; you have a disease,'" Solomon says in the video. "My child came home hurt and upset. I am hurt and upset."

In the video, Solomon puts yet another human face on the growing problem that is mostly affecting the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Ebola has killed more than 4,400 people so far in 2014.

Solomon and others also launched the hashtag, #IamALiberianNotAVirus, to help spread their message.

This is beautiful & perfect. End fear, learn something. RT @TheRoot #IamaLiberianNotaVirus http://t.co/9gxSo7aZel pic.twitter.com/zwPdvPOf1b
— My Video My Voice (@myvideovoice) October 17, 2014

Wilhelmina from Myeonway Designs #IamALiberianNotAVirus #EbolaStigma pic.twitter.com/aP69efWih0
— Liberian Ent Awards (@LibEntAwards) October 14, 2014

Anthony Blamo #IamALiberianNotAVirus #EbolaStigma pic.twitter.com/dAj8f5gILW
— Liberian Ent Awards (@LibEntAwards) October 12, 2014

Watch the video below: 

---

---

Credits: Mashable.com

Learn more »

All students who have arrived in Russia from countries in western Africa, affected by an epidemic of the Ebola virus disease, have been put under medical surveillance, Deputy Education and Science Minister Veniamin Kaganov told TASS, adding that there were more than one thousand such students.

"I am certain that there is no real risk the Ebola virus disease may get into Russia. All of the more than one thousand students from western Africa in Russia enjoy the doctors’ unflagging attention,” Kaganov said.

"The presidents of all universities have been thoroughly briefed on the issue and the services involved are on guard ready to promptly identify any alarming symptoms,” Kaganov added.

(RIA Novosti/Ruslan Krivbok) - African students studying in Russia.

Earlier, the Education and Science Ministry asked the leadership of Russian colleges and universities to postpone the beginning of the academic year for African students till November 1.

From RT News: Airports in Russia will be equipped with extra facilities to prevent the Ebola virus from spreading, the government's press service reported on Friday. Over a thousand African students are already under special medical control. 

Cabinet discussed the Ebola outbreak with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Friday. As the result of the meeting, Russian airports will soon receive special equipment to be installed, to prevent any possible spread of the deadly virus in the country.

Last winter the Ebola virus disease manifested itself in several countries in western Africa. No official cases of the disease have been registered in eastern Africa, though.

According to the World Health Organization, the acute viral infection has already claimed 4,500 lives, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and nearly 9,000 were infected. No officially registered vaccines or medicines against the Ebola virus disease are available.

Nigeria in West Africa remain the only country in the world that has been able to contain the Ebola outbreak and eradicate it. Hopefully there won't be any case(s) of second coming.

 *Credit:  ITAR-TASS
 *Additional Credit: Famagusta Gazette

Learn more »

Priscilla and I are donating $25 million to the Centers for Disease Control Foundation to help fight Ebola. 

The Ebola epidemic is at a critical turning point. It has infected 8,400 people so far, but it is spreading very quickly and projections suggest it could infect 1 million people or more over the next several months if not addressed. 

We need to get Ebola under control in the near term so that it doesn't spread further and become a long term global health crisis that we end up fighting for decades at large scale, like HIV or polio. 

We believe our grant is the quickest way to empower the CDC and the other world experts in this field to prevent this outcome.

Grants like this directly help the frontline responders in their heroic work. These people are on the ground setting up care centers, training local staff, identifying Ebola cases and much more. 

We are hopeful this will help save lives and get this outbreak under control.

Credits: Mark Zuckerberg

Learn more »

Official Test results and reports have confirmed that the 26 year old African Student from Togo that was admitted in hospital yesterday over Ebola fears tested NEGATIVE/NEGATIF for the Ebola Virus Disease [EVD].

Earlier reports said the 26 year old African Student was rushed to a hospital in Nicosia over Ebola fears when he went to a hospital in Famagusta complaining of high fever after having returned from Togo in Africa 21 days ago. It should be noted that the Ebola Virus can stay in an infected persons body for up to 21 days before showing any signs or symptoms.

"He woke up that day feeling feverish and we advised him to go to the hospital to test whether it is Ebola or normal Malaria, that is a common tropical African illness" his friends reported.

"He came back to the Island 21 days ago, so it is good to be cautious. You never know. Thank God It has been confirmed as Malaria and NOT EBOLA" they added.

Scanty Gela BLOG understands that the man is suffering from MALARIA and is already recuperating at the hospital he was admitted in. The fever has stabilized and he is reacting well to the treatment of Malaria.

Malaria is a flu-like illness in Africa and transmitted via mosquitoes. Symptoms are somewhat similar to that of Ebola, with rise in body temperature, headaches, vomiting, body aches, general discomfort, etc.

Commendable, Prepared, Resilient and Committed are words that can be used to describe the prompt attention and response that was given to the 26 year old African Student (who has not been named) by the Health authorities of TRNC.

Health authorities in TRNC are assuring the general public that all necessary measures has been put in place to checkmate the spread of the Virus and that Screening processes at the Istanbul Atatürk Airport and ERCAN Airport TRNC are more than adequate to prevent anyone with the EVD from entering the Island.

A statement issued by the Health Ministry pointed out that no one carrying the Ebola virus or any suspicious death with symptoms of Ebola virus has been reported in the TRNC so far.

**additional credits

Learn more »

Sue-Ellen-Kovack_facebook

There were fears today that Ebola has reached Australia after a nurse developed symptoms of the virus. Sue Ellen Kovack, who had been working with the Red Cross in Sierra Leone, one of the worst affected countries, returned to Australia on Tuesday before developing the symptoms.

The Australian reports that she has developed a fever, prompting her to contact authorities who admitted her to hospital in the city of Cairns.

Jeanette Young, Chief Health Officer for Queensland, she that she has not yet shown other symptoms, but the case was still being treated as suspected Ebola as a precautionary measure.

"This morning [Ms Kovack] rang up ... because she developed a low-grade fever of 37.6C," Dr Young said.

"We felt it important that she come into the Cairns hospital and be tested. We don't know whether she has that [Ebola], but she's been exposed to people with the disease while working in Sierra Leone."

She added that authorities are treating the case seriously, reassured local residents that there is no risk to anyone in the community or the hospital.

Blood has been taken to be tested, with results expected back tomorrow.

Dr Young added that there was no need for people on Ms Kovack's flight home to worry as Ebola is relatively hard to catch.

“There is absolutely no concern for any passenger on any plane she’s been on because she did not have any symptoms at all when she was on those flights,” she said.

This is the fourth time that Australia has investigated potential Ebola cases. Last month, a woman was given the all-clear after being held in quarantine in a Perth hospital, while a one-year-old child was also cleared of the virus after developing suspicious symptoms.

A man in the city of Gold Coast was also given the all-clear after being tested for the virus after complaining of symptoms while in police custody. The people in all three cases had recently returned from Africa.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told his country that measures are in place to deal with the disease.

"What we're doing at the moment is we're carefully monitoring everyone coming to this country who's been in West Africa.

"In every state, public hospitals have been prepared to deal with Ebola cases should we get any."

*Credits

Learn more »

A TRNC Ministry of Health working party has evaluated the risk of an outbreak of Ebola in the country, according to Bayrak TV.

Officials from the Health Ministry, experts on the disease, members of the infection control committee and academics from the Near East University’s Clinical Microbiology and Infection Department, after their evaluations agreed, on taking several precautionary measures against any possible spread of infection.

A statement issued by the Health Ministry pointed out that no one carrying the Ebola virus or any suspicious death with symptoms of Ebola virus has been reported in the TRNC so far. It also said that those who came to the country from epidemic regions of West Africa and who made contact with persons who had the virus could be infected. It however stated that the risk of infection was quite low if general measures were adopted.

“Only those who have had close contact with infected people or wild animals are under risk. On the other hand, not everyone who comes from Africa is under risk” the statement added. The ministry also advised citizens not to visit these countries unless absolutely necessary.

On the same issue, Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Kibris Postasi’ reports that the Turkish Cypriot medical association (KTTB), in a written statement recently, proposed that the TRNC government takes measures in order to protect against the Ebola virus.

The association suggested that thermal cameras should be installed at all points of entry into the country. These should monitor travellers from African countries.

BBC news reports that Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s head of health security, said 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,” he said. “It is not a virus that is spread through the air.”

 *Credits

Learn more »

The spread of Ebola across Europe is "quite unavoidable", the World Health Organisation has warned as four people were in hospital after a Spanish nurse became the first person known to have contracted the virus outside Africa.

WHO European director Zsuzsanna Jakab has said while more cases will spread in Europe, the continent should be well prepared to control the disease.

Health officials in Spain today said four people - the nurse, her husband and two others - were being monitored in hospital in a bid to stem the spread of the virus.

"Such imported cases and similar events as have happened in Spain will happen also in the future, most likely," Ms Jakab told Reuters.

"It is quite unavoidable ... that such incidents will happen in the future because of the extensive travel both from Europe to the affected countries and the other way around," she said.

Ms Jakab said European health workers were most at risk of becoming infected, but added that "the most important thing in our view is that Europe is still at low risk and that the western part of the European region particularly is the best prepared in the world to respond to viral haemorrhagic fevers including Ebola.”

It has emerged that the nurse, who had helped treat two Spanish missionaries who died after returning from Africa with the disease, first complained of feeling ill a week before she was diagnosed with Ebola on Monday.

The 40-year-old is understood to have contacted health workers after complaining of a low fever on September 30. She was only given tests for Ebola however when she turned up at hospital with a high fever on Monday, The Telegraph has reported.

“The priority remains to find out what actually happened,” he said.

Officials said they were still investigating how the nurse was infected. She went on holiday after the second of the missionaries she had been caring for died on September 25, although, they stressed, she had not left Madrid.

Jonathan Ball, a professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said the Spanish nurse should not have contracted the deadly disease if appropriate containment and control measures had been taken.

“It will be crucial to find out what went wrong in this case so necessary measures can be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again,” he told Reuters.

Local media in Spain yesterday reported that staff at the Madrid hospital where the nurse became infected had claimed their protective suits did not meet health and safety requirements – though this has yet to be substantiated.

Meanwhile, a Norwegian doctor infected with Ebola while working in Sierra Leone has arrived in Norway for treatment. Officials said she was in an isolation ward at Oslo University Hospital.

*Credits
Additional reporting by Reuters and Press Association

Learn more »

Cyprus International University (CIU) North Cyprus has issued helpful directives over Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak. This was stated in a seminar recently organized for students of the University titled "Ebola Virus Disease: Symptoms and Prevention Methods". 

Dr. Figen

 Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Bayraktar who spoke at the seminar reiterated the need for preventive measures to be put in place, while reminding the participants that Ebola has no cure yet and all treatment drugs are scarce and only experimental. In the 1970s, the emerging Virus was known to only transmit from animals to humans. However, "Ebola virus mutated in December 2013 since human-to-human transmission has begun." He said.

The representatives of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Figen said that Ebola virus disease has major symptoms of high fever, stressing that "the disease is starting to show itself within 21 days.

Dr. Figen said that the Government is in constant meeting over the Ebola outbreak, and also they had established a special health unit said. Adding that several security measures are being implemented from Istanbul, Ataturk Airport to Ercan in North Cyprus. Emergency response teams are on standby for any and all eventualities.

 more pics below:

 

CIU Images

CIU Images

 *CIU News

Learn more »

Reuters Images

Spanish Health Minister Ana Mato has confirmed that a nurse who treated two victims of Ebola in Madrid has tested positive for the disease.

The nurse is said to be the first person in the current outbreak known to have contracted Ebola outside Africa.

The woman was part of the team that treated Spanish priests Manuel Garcia Viejo and Miguel Pajares, who both died of the virus, officials say.

Some 3,400 people have died in the outbreak - mostly in West Africa.

 Meanwhile US President Barack Obama has said the White House is considering extra screening at US airports for people arriving from the worst-affected countries in West Africa.

He said the chances for an Ebola outbreak in the US were extremely low, but vowed to step up the pressure on larger countries to help with efforts to contain the disease.

It comes as the US tries to limit the spread from its first confirmed case, a Liberian in Dallas.

The Spanish nurse is in a stable condition, Ms Mato said. She started to feel ill last week when she was on holiday.

Getty Images

The nurse was admitted to hospital in Alcorcon, near Madrid, on Monday morning with a high fever, she said.

"Both the health ministry and public health authorities are working together to give the best care to the patient and to guarantee the safety of all citizens," the minister told a news conference.

Manuel Garcia Viejo, 69, died in the hospital Carlos III de Madrid on 25 September after catching Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Miguel Pajares, 75, died in August after contracting the virus in Liberia.

Experimental drug
Ebola spreads through contact with the bodily fluids of someone who has the virus and the only way to stop an outbreak is to isolate those who are infected.

There have been nearly 7,500 confirmed infections worldwide, with officials saying the figure is likely to be much higher in reality.

Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia have been hardest hit.


Thomas Duncan, the first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the US, is being treated at a Dallas hospital in isolation. He caught the virus in his native Liberia.

Mr Duncan's condition is critical but stable, doctors said on Monday.

He has been given Brincidofovir, a new experimental drug for treating Ebola which was developed in North Carolina.

The European Commission has asked Spain to explain how the nurse could have become infected.

The nurse had twice gone into the room where Mr Garcia Viejo had been treated, to be directly involved in his care and to disinfect the room after his death. Both times she was wearing protective clothing.

Madrid healthcare director Antonia Alemany told reporters that according to the information available: "The nurse went into the room wearing the individual protection gear and there's no knowledge of an accidental exposure to risk."

Early on Tuesday she was moved under police escort to Carlos III hospital in the capital and is said to be in a stable condition.

The Spanish health authorities say she is being treated with a drip using antibodies from previous Ebola patients.

Her husband and a second nurse who treated the missionary are now in quarantine, officials said, as well as a man who recently arrived on a flight from Nigeria.


 *BBC News

Learn more »

Liberian Ebola patient in USA [pictures]

DALLAS (AP) -- His week began thousands of miles away with a frantic bid to save a life. It was Monday, Sept. 15, and Ebola, a terrifying disease, was ravaging West Africa, filling morgues and hospitals to capacity. In Monrovia, Liberia, the virus was about to claim one more person.

Marthalene Williams, seven months pregnant, had been diagnosed with low blood pressure when she was brought to a clinic, desperately ill.

Soon after coming home, she began convulsing. Thomas Eric Duncan, assisted by her family and others, lifted his neighbor into a taxi that rushed to a hospital maternity ward, where she was turned away. The 19-year-old woman returned to her house, where she died hours later.

That Friday, Sept. 19, Duncan arrived at Roberts International Airport in the capital of Monrovia. He was about to embark on a three-leg journey, traveling from Africa, through Europe and into the United States. He would travel more than 8,000 miles before arriving at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in the early evening of Sept. 20.

His temperature, taken before he boarded the plane in Monrovia as part of precautionary government measures, had been below normal. But when he walked out into the steamy Texas night, he carried with him one of the deadliest diseases known to medicine.

Ten days later, he'd become the first person diagnosed in America with Ebola.

---

The same day that neighbors say Duncan carried his dying neighbor back into her home, the U.S. was calling for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to address the growing Ebola crisis.

The worst Ebola outbreak in history has swept through Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and has stretched into Nigeria and Senegal. Nearly 7,500 people are believed to have been sickened by the disease and more than 3,400 have died, according to the World Health Organization.

Liberia has been hardest hit, with more than 3,800 cases and slightly more than 2,000 deaths. But even those ghastly numbers likely underestimate the scope of the disaster and the true toll may never be known. The World Health Organization has noted that in the notoriously overcrowded slum of West Point, in the capital, bodies are just tossed into the river.

Liberia is woefully lacking beds in isolation units needed to care for people. Doctors Without Borders has described the heartbreaking act of turning away people who seek treatment at their centers in Monrovia.

The horrifying impact of Ebola can be seen and heard throughout Liberia's capital, from corpses on the street, men pushing the sick in wheelbarrows and the constant wail of ambulances. Even a public service phone message warns "Ebola is real" before a call comes through.

At the airport, nurses wearing white lab coats, face masks and gloves take the temperatures of departing passengers. There are giant dispensers with chlorinated water and buckets for hand-washing.

When Duncan arrived Sept. 19, his temperature was taken and recorded on a passenger screening form. It was 97.3.

Citing the Ebola outbreak, the form notes: "We need your help to prevent the spread of this disease."

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with saliva, sweat and blood. It is not contagious until the symptoms begin.

The form asks travelers if they have any of 10 listed symptoms - among them, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and fatigue. Duncan answered "no" to all.

He also was asked if he'd taken care of an Ebola patient or touched the body of anyone who'd died in an Ebola-stricken area in the last 21 days - the incubation period. He answered "no" to both questions as well.

It's unclear if Duncan knew he may have been exposed to Ebola when he boarded his plane. While he had close contact days before with the pregnant woman, who neighbors now believe died from Ebola, she was never tested. It was initially suspected she had died of complications from her pregnancy.

This past week, however, Liberian authorities announced plans to prosecute Duncan when he returns, accusing him of lying on the questionnaire.

Once in Dallas, Duncan settled in at the Ivy apartment complex in the northeast part of the city, which is home to thousands of immigrants, many of them poor. This melting pot where dozens of languages are spoken is less than a five-minute drive from some of the toniest sections of Dallas.

Duncan was staying in a second-floor apartment with Louise Troh, her 13-year-old son, Duncan's distant cousin and a family friend.

On Sept. 25, Duncan was feeling sick enough that he went to the emergency room at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital. He was reported to have a fever, headache and abdominal pain, but no diarrhea or vomiting. The hospital said he told them he'd recently arrived from West Africa, but that he denied having been around anyone sick. He was released.

By Sunday morning, Duncan's condition had worsened.

Youngor Jallah, 35, the daughter of Louise Troh, went to her mother's apartment to check on him. He'd been vomiting and had diarrhea the previous night. When she arrived with crackers, Gatorade and tea, Duncan was too sick to come out for breakfast.

After she found him fully dressed with socks, shivering in bed under a thin polyester blanket, Jallah drove to a Wal-Mart to buy "the warmest blanket I could find." When she returned, she noticed red in his eyes.

Jallah, a nurse's assistant, took his temperature and blood pressure - both of which were unusually high - and called an ambulance. When it arrived, she warned the staff "this man is from a virus country." They returned in protective gear and gloves.

Now Jallah is in self-imposed quarantine with her partner, Aaron Yah, and four children in their modest two-bedroom apartment. She's wracked with regret for not taking precautions.

"I'm having all those bad feelings," she told The Associated Press. "I'm just doubting myself every minute. I'm trying to take my mind off it, but I can't do it." She doesn't kiss or hug her children, ages 2, 4 and 6, or her live-in partner's 11-year-old son or share dishes with them.

She says she and Yah, also a nurse's assistant, often work nights, and had left the children with her mother and Duncan every night of his stay.

Yah says he knows his active, affectionate children probably came in close contact with Duncan, but adds: "I know that with God, everything is possible, so I am just praying that nothing happens to them."

Duncan remains in isolation, where he was listed in critical condition Sunday.

At the end of the week, Texas health officials said they had narrowed to about 50 the group of people they were monitoring who had some exposure to Duncan. All are having their temperatures taken daily. So far, none have shown symptoms of the virus. Nine people who are considered to be at higher risk are being watched more closely.

Duncan has remained in contact by phone with some relatives, including Josephus Weeks, a nephew living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Duncan's mother is staying there.

"It can be scary sometimes and it can be uplifting sometimes," Weeks says of their conversations. "The days when I'm able to get him to smile, to laugh, those days are good. That means that he's feeling good and he's got a little more strength to fight."

 * ap.Hosted

Learn more »

Abigail Afolabi, 25, returned to Nigeria after concluding her first degree at the Harbin Medical University, China. She returned home to celebrate her graduation as a medical doctor. Her family in Kaduna State was throwing a party to celebrate her successful feat, and she decided to spend two weeks in Nigeria.
While the celebration was on, she received an e-mail from her school informing her of a scholarship offer to proceed for her master’s degree.

She accepted the offer. The school then advised her to return to China as soon as possible.

Although Abigail never fell ill nor had contact with any of the hundreds of persons screened and in relevant cased treated for Ebola in Nigeria, she was made to suffer what she called ‘humiliation’ by Chinese authorities.

Although Abigail had been screened at the Nigerian airport for Ebola before her departure, on arrival at the Beijing airport in China, a list of passengers coming from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak was called.

More than 3000 persons have died from the virus in West Africa, mainly from Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra-Leone. Dozens of Nigerians were later infected with the virus when Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American, brought the virus to the country. Mr. Sawyer and six other Nigerians have died from the Ebola in Nigeria.

At the Beijing airport, Abigail’s ‘special’ group were told alight from the aircraft before other passengers and were taken for medical examination.

“When I arrived in China, the list of passengers coming from countries affected by Ebola was called by the medical officers in Beijing, China,” she said. “We were asked to come out of the plane before other passengers. We were taken to a room for examination. Body temperature was checked and few questions were asked, for example, Do you have headache? Are you vomiting?”

But that was not to be all. From there, she was isolated in a room where she was made to stay for 21 days – the incubation period of the virus.

Ms. Afolabi was released on September 12 and has commenced her Masters programme. Her case is, however, just one of the many forms Nigerians suffer discrimination as a result of Ebola. Nigeria’s contingent to Keeping Children Safe in Africa Conference, which held in Cape Town from September 3 to 5, were denied visa by the South African embassy due to Ebola. One of the key participants from Nigeria, Oge Chukwudozie of Save the Children Nigeria, who was to present a paper was among those denied entry. Someone else, a non-Nigerian, had to present her paper for her.
When contacted on the efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure there is a stop to the discrimination Nigerians suffer, its spokesperson, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said he was on leave and could not make any comment.

Some government officials have, however, expressed concern with the apparent stigmatisation Nigerians go through due to the Ebola virus. One of such is Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Affairs.

Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa on September 6 noted that the stigmatization must be addressed before it gets worse, and as a lawmaker she would work with relevant government agencies to do the needful. She explained that in many instances, there were hardly any medical checks to ascertain the health conditions of such Nigerians.

The lawmaker cited another example of Adeseye Adeyemi, a Nigerian who decided to wed his Sri Lankan heartthrob in Sri Lanka; and wanted his Nigerian-based family to attend the reception.
Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa said the Adeyemi’s “were terribly treated by Sri Lankan authorities.”
She said all family members were quarantined in the Sri-Lankan airport lobby for about 18 hours with no access to food, water, or toilet facilities. The family was subsequently deported with no medical check after the prolonged wait.

Learn more »

The Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu, MD reports that Nigeria is completely free of active Ebola cases and have today released the final victim contacts from surveillance. The Minister said, “Presently, there is no single case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria – none.”

“No cases are under treatment, no suspected cases. There are no contacts in Lagos that are still under surveillance, having completed a minimum of 21 days of observation.”

In the process of tracing contacts of individuals infected with Ebola, anyone showing no symptoms after three weeks of last known contact with a victim is considered free of any potential for the disease.

Rivers State, whose capital city is Port Harcourt, had been home to over 400 contacts under medical surveillance. As of last night, only 25 contacts remained.

“None of them are showing any symptoms. Monday 22 Sept marked the end of their 21 days of observation

“Nigeria is as clean as any other country as far as Ebola virus disease is concerned.” He stated

---

Read the Press Release below:

---

For one week now, there has not been a single case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. The total number of confirmed EVD cases recorded in Nigeria remains 19, with 7 deaths. The South African woman who was taken from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and quarantined on suspicion of EVD tested negative for EVD and other viral haemorrhagic fevers and has since been discharged from quarantine and has left the country. Also, a suspected case reported by NLNG tested negative for EVD.

A number of contacts are still under surveillance in Nigeria, 4 in Lagos State and 344 in Rivers State. So far, 347 contacts have been discharged from surveillance in Lagos State while 182 contacts have been discharged from surveillance in Rivers State.

Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the release of N200 million to the Rivers State Government as direct financial support to the state towards the containment of EVD outbreak.

---

Dan Nwomeh
Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Minister of Health

Source: health.gov.ng

---

Learn more »

Nigerian students returning from summer holidays , especially those returning from ebola hit African countries like Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, are being subjected to fairly stringent measures at the airports in Istanbul turkey and Ercan, North Cyprus.

Recently incidents seem to buttress the fact that this stringent measures by the relevant authorities were put in place to checkmate the spread of the ebola virus which has so far killed more than 2000 in sub-saharan africa. Till date, there is no known cure for ebola. All experimental drugs are yet to pass clinical trials but seem to work so far on those it has been administered.

A Nigerian student, Thomas(not real name) returning home from his travel to Africa where he'd gone home for the summer. On coming back a few days ago, He was prevented from clearing his luggage at Ercan Airport because airport officials perceived some 'odour' emanating from the luggage.

Unfortunately it was a local/tribal condiment for soup making. He ended up having his luggage confiscated till date. He was lucky he was not quarantined, though he mentioned being subjected to several body heat/temperature checks with several unknown objects in unknown procedures.

Another issue coming from the Ercan Airport is luggage return. Several students have complained of luggage loss and return. These are  luggage that were duly paid for and packaged from Nigeria. Airport officials seem to have a blanket ban on all luggage coming from Africa because of ebola scare. Some students dispute this though saying their luggage cleared smoothly without any deviation from regular protocol.

more details soon... Learn more »