Hong Kong has increased its precautions against the outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the epidemic “a public health emergency of international concern”.
WHO said on Sunday that there had been 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths in the DRC since Saturday, in addition to a handful of apparent cases in Uganda.
The outbreak was caused by Bundibugyo virus disease and there is currently no vaccine.
There are no confirmed cases in Hong Kong, but the Center for Health Protection (CHP) has adopted a number of precautionary measures, according to in a government press release on Sunday.
Although there are no direct flights from the affected areas, “CHP will strengthen health screening for passengers arriving on flights from Africa to the airport… Suspected cases will be immediately referred to public hospitals for isolation and treatment.”
It will also strengthen public awareness and health education efforts and provide airlines, doctors and hospitals with up-to-date information.
The CHP advises against visiting the affected regions.
Very deadly
Ebola is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected animals.
The virus is highly lethal and causes hemorrhagic fever, systemic inflammation and multi-organ failure. The fatality rate from past outbreaks ranges from 25 to 90 percent, according to the WHO — the average is 50 percent.
Meanwhile, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is preparing a large-scale response to the outbreak, the humanitarian charity said in a press release. RELEASE on sunday.
“The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short time frame, combined with the spread in several health zones and now across the border, is extremely worrying,” said MSF emergency program manager Trish Newport. “In Ituri, many people already struggle to access health care and live with ongoing uncertainty, making quick action critical to prevent the outbreak from escalating further.”
The NGO is mobilizing more teams that include medical, logistical and relief staff experienced in responding to viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks, he said.
