NIH issues Ebola alert, asks authorities to stay vigilant

Islamabad : The National Institute of Health has asked the authorities to be alert for possible Ebola cases, as African country Uganda reported an outbreak of the rare and deadly disease affecting humans and other primates.

According to the NIH, Uganda, where Ebola Virus Disease had claimed 224 lives in 2000, 37 in 2007, one in 2011, 21 in 2012 and four in 2019, recorded 23 deaths in Madudu and Kiruma sub-counties of Mubende district during the first two weeks of September.

Of the deaths, five were among confirmed Ebola cases and 18 among probable ones. In an advisory, the institute said EVD in humans was caused by four of six viruses of the genus Ebolavirus, including Bundibugyo Virus (BDBV), Sudan Virus (SUDV), Tai Forest Virus (TAFV) and Ebola Virus (EBOV, formerly Zaire Ebola virus), and the current Ebola outbreaks was caused by SUDV.

“At regional and global levels, the overall risk has been assessed as low. The World Health Organisation advises countries against any restrictions on travel and/or trade to Uganda based on available information for the current outbreak,” it said.

The NIH said keeping in view all those facts, it was advised that travel and trade related organisations, including Directorate of Central Health Establishment, remain vigilant and keep monitoring the passengers coming in from Uganda. It added that any suspected Ebola case entering Pakistan should be quarantined and notified to it.

“The samples should be transported using national guidelines. For any further technical assistance, our Centre for Disease Control may be contacted.” The doctors said Ebola was a severe often fatal disease, which affected humans and other primates.

According to them, it is transmitted to people from wild animals (such as fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates) and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids. The doctors said death rates from outbreaks of Ebola in the past had ranged from 25 per cent to 90 per cent. They said Ebola could spread through blood, sweat, tears, pee, poop, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, semen, vaginal fluids and pregnancy fluids, while other ways to get Ebola included touching contaminated needles or surfaces.

The doctors said people couldn’t get that virus from air, water, or food, and that an Ebola patient with no symptoms of the disease could spread it, either. They said there was no cure for Ebola though researchers were working on it, so its symptoms were managed with fluids and electrolytes, oxygen, blood pressure medication, blood transfusions and treatment for other infections.