BEIJING, August 11 (RIA Novosti) – The growing risk of emergencies, in particular the outbreak of Ebola, exemplifies the need for international cooperation, Russia’s Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum of emergency officials in Beijing Monday.
“Against the backdrop of growing threats it is necessary to strengthen cooperation and coordination between our services. The number of losses from tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, storms, typhoons and other natural disasters is increasing,” Puchkov stressed.
The Russian minister specified that the risks of man-induced accidents, including in the transportation and energy sectors, are growing, as are risks of a biological and social nature.
“The outbreak of the Ebola virus has once again demonstrated the necessity of strengthening international cooperation and integration in order to resolve such issues,” Puchkov noted.
According to the official, the risks are threating the stability of the international community’s development.
“In this context, the Russian delegation is calling on the member-states of APEC to become more active. In particular, we consider it necessary to continue working on the creation of an international branch of crisis centers,” Puchkov underlined, noting that Russia first proposed this initiative back in 2012.
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a deadly disease transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of the infected. The symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, kidney and liver problems, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. There is no licensed treatment for Ebola at present. The death toll from the recent outbreak of the disease in Western Africa has reached 961 people.
