Atleast 84 people have died of the Ebola virus out of the 129 cases reported in Guinea, a governmental source said.
Among the worst affected region is Gueckedou where 54 people have died of the epidemic out of the 79 cases reported so far. The capital city of Conakry has so far claimed four lives out of the 11 reported cases.
Sakoba Keita, head of the disease control unit, said, “The health authorities were in the process of “containing the epidemic,” especially in the hard-hit areas in Guinea Forestiere region.”
Meanwhile, the government has intensified the sensitization campaign to ensure proper maintenance of hygiene conditions across the region. Also, the government has initiated awareness programs to inform the people about the Ebola disease and its prevention methods.
The authorities have also banned the sale and consumption of bush meat across the entire national territory in an effort to contain the disease.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), there is no treatment or vaccine available for Ebola till date. Ebola takes lives of between 25 and 90 percent of those who fall sick depending on the strain of the virus, WHO says.
The disease is transmitted among humans by direct contact with blood, faeces or sweat. Moreover, they are also transmitted sexually or by unprotected handling of contaminated corpses.
Ebola outbreak is a common affair in Africa but this time the health experts are more concerned. This is because they believe it more contagious this time.
Dr.Mohamed Ag Ayoya, UNICEF Representative in Guinea, said, “In Guinea, a country with a weak medical infrastructure, an outbreak like this can be devastating. But since nearly everyone with the disease dies, it’s unlikely to infect mass numbers of people like, say, HIV.”
What is Ebola?
Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a fatal disease contracted by humans and nonhuman primates like chimpanzees monkeys and gorillas. Virus Ebolavirus is responsible for causing this disease.
The first cases of Ebola were found in 1976 in Nzara (Sudan) and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The original host of the disease is unknown but researchers consider animals, mainly bats, as its source.
Symptoms of Ebola
Experts say, the symptoms of Ebola start appearing between 2 and 21 days after initial contact. The common symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea rash poor kidney and liver function. In rare cases, patient can also experience internal and external bleeding.
There is no known cure or vaccine for Ebola. Currently treatments and vaccines are under development but most have not been tested in humans. Patients suffering from this disease usually suffer dehydration. Hence, they are given oral or intravenous fluid containing electrolytes. Patients must be quarantined.
