The world faces the risk of Ebola epidemic spreading

The Ebola epidemic, which reappeared in West Africa earlier this year, is out of control making many countries and leading health organizations alarm.

>>> West Africa struggles to control Ebola outbreaks

Ebola virus (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is the name of a disease in humans with a high mortality rate of up to 90%. This virus has many variations. The virus follows the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease first broke out in 1976.

Ebola outbreaks often occur from remote villages in Central and West Africa, near the tropical rainforest. Viruses transmitted from wild animals to humans then spread to the community in the form of human-to-human form. WHO says the fruit-eating bat (Pteropodidae) is the natural host of Ebola. Also gorillas, gibbons, pigs . can also become vectors of transmission if they come into contact with saliva or bat manure.

Medical staff transferred the dead body of the patient due to Ebola virus infection in Kenema city, Sierra Leone on July 25.(Photo: Reuters)

People infected with Ebola virus have incubation period from 2 to 21 days, then there are symptoms such as sudden high fever, weakness, stress, muscle aches, headache, sore throat. Next, patients with vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired liver and kidney function, can cause internal and external bleeding.

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for this disease.

Ebola outbreak re-outbreaks

Guinea on March 22 announced that the Ebola virus was the cause of a plague then raging in the southern forest region of the country, with 59 deaths. Symptoms first appeared six weeks earlier but experts could not identify the disease. Later, scientists in Lyon, France, studied the sample and confirmed the virus was Ebola.

Ebola virus spread to the capital of Guinea's Conakry 5 days later. On March 31, Liberia authorities confirmed two cases of Ebola infection. Sierra Leone confirmed the first Ebola death case on May 26 and became the third African country affected by the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on July 31 that since March there have been 1,323 cases of Ebola and 729 deaths in the three countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Mortality rate is about 55%.

The number of cases of Ebola virus infection (orange) and the number of deaths (black) as of July 31 in Africa.(Graphic: WHO / Reuters.)

The risk of spreading to the world

The Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said the current situation in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone only worsened and warned there is no overall strategy to address the Ebola outbreak.

US President Barack Obama announced on August 1 that he will examine delegates from countries with Ebola virus to Washington to attend the Africa summit next week.

The US Peace Corps announced on July 30 that it would withdraw hundreds of volunteers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The organization currently has 103 volunteers in the fields of agriculture, education and health in Guinea, 108 in Liberia and 130 in Sierra Leone.

Canadian media said a Canadian doctor voluntarily quarantined to take care after several weeks of treatment for patients in West Africa. The American doctor, working with him, is now infected with Ebola.

A source from the European Union (EU) said it has equipped and ready to treat any patient with Ebola in 28 member countries."We cannot rule out the possibility that infected people go to Europe, but the EU takes measures to monitor and curb any outbreaks," the source said. In case of isolation and negative test of a suspected case of Ebola in Valencia city, Spain shows "this system works".

New British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond calls Ebola "a serious threat" . The British authorities earlier tested a suspect who had Ebola infection but the result was negative. An emergency meeting has decided the best solution is to provide "more resources to solve epidemics in the place of origin" in West Africa, Mr. Hammond said.

The French Foreign Ministry spokesman said they are providing technical and professional support in the West African region.

Thai health authorities require the entire hospital to closely monitor the symptoms of patients, especially Thai citizens or tourists from West Africa.

Hong Kong authorities announced inspection measures for suspected cases. The most recent case is a woman from Africa to Hong Kong who has many symptoms of Ebola symptoms but the test results are negative.

Information about the Ebola epidemic covered the pages of Liberia newspapers.(Photo: AP)

Australia July 31 said it is ready to prepare in case Ebola appears here. The government also warned against going to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Liberia announces the closure of all schools and allows employees of "unimportant" government agencies to take 30 days off. African countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin said they will increase inspection at border control points and airports.

Leaders of the four West African countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Russian Coast, met on January 1 with the General Director of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan, in the capital of Guinea's Conakry to begin development. declared a $ 100 million plan to deal with Ebola.

The World Health Organization added that the agency "does not recommend restrictions on movement or trade" with Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) held discussions with health officials around the world to find ways to prevent the spread of disease.

"Until now (Ebola virus) has not impacted commercial aviation, but we are affected," said Raymond Benjamin, Secretary General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). "We need to act quickly."