MOSCOW, October 1 (RIA Novosti) - Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), talked with Radio VR about the first Ebola case, diagnosed on the US soil, as well as fears that the virus will spread to the rest of the country.
The transmission of the disease from the infected person to his fellow travelers is highly unlikely, as the virus becomes contagious only after the occurrence of specific symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle and stomach pain as well as diarrhea, the expert claimed.
“The thing with Ebola is that it is not transmitted very easily. So, the person has to be in a close contact with the body fluids of an infected person and it takes some time to develop the symptoms to become contagious. So, if a proper contact follow up is being put in place, there are really good chances to contain it at the very beginning”, Mr. Jasarevic said, adding that the infected person was immediately quarantined once he developed symptoms.
However, the spread of the Ebola virus to Europe, Latin America or Asia is possible and effective emergency measures should be taken to contain the disease.
“What it really important, is that all member states and all the countries in the world have emplaced contingency plans, so that if such a case arise, they can put in place the system that will follow the contacts of the infected person”, the expert claimed.
Currently, the Ebola outbreak is predominantly affecting West African countries, such as Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Senegal. The death toll there is rising fast, that’s why the assistance to these countries is the matter of first priority, Mr. Jasarevic emphasized.
“We really need to address the problem here,” he told Radio VR. “We have just opened a new clinic last week […] in Monrovia. There are some more treatment centers announced to be opened. So, we can really get people out of the community and provide them with the supportive care that would increase the chances of survival”.
Mr. Jasarevic stressed that practical initiatives are being constantly worked out and commitment from the international community is growing.
“In Sierra Leone and in other places we are also seeing that the communities are putting in place community Ebola care units. So, the people do not wait too long to be tested and to be transferred. And during that waiting time they are not any longer risking the lives of their families. So, they are taken away from their homes, but they stay close in the community in the specific locations where they are given the basic supportive care. So, we are seeing that there is a more commitment also from the other countries to send the medical teams to support. We’ve seen that the UN is setting up a new Ebola mission, of which the WHO will be a part. So, we really have to accelerate the response right now”, Mr. Jasarevic said.
The current overall Ebola death toll exceeded 3,100, approximately 6,800 people more were reported infected. The disease is considered very dangerous, as it has a high mortality rate and requires complex treatment. However, experts claim that the American case presents a very low risk to US residents as the virus is not transmitted easily and, therefore, is unlikely to cause epidemic seen in West Africa.
