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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 10 AUGUST 2014 News 5 Chances of Ebola reaching Malta 'remote' JURGEN BALZAN THE chances of the deadly Ebola virus reaching Malta are minimal, junior minister Chris Fearne said yesterday, giving an assurance that the government has a contingency plan for any eventuality. He told the media yesterday that the government was "keeping abreast of developments" in West Africa and preparations were dis- cussed during an inter-ministerial meeting on Friday. The parliamentary secretary's news conference followed the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s declaration that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa was now an "international public health emer- gency" that required an extraordi- nary response to stop its spread. Fearne said that although the vi- rus was not endemic to Malta and the Mediterranean, the govern- ment has taken "all precautions to ensure that we are well prepared in the remote eventuality of somebody infected with Ebola entering Malta. We are also taking all precautions at Mater Dei Hospital to ensure that in the remote possibility of an outbreak, the best treatment is available and the rest of society is safe." He said precautions being taken by the health authorities in Malta are in line with the WHO recom- mendations. Stressing that so far no case of Ebola had been reported in Malta, Fearne said that all authorities were taking all necessary action to ensure that no cases reach Malta. These include the screening of persons travelling to Malta from West Afri- can countries who are being urged to inform the authorities of their arrival before landing in Malta. "A few days ago a Maltese nation- al flew back from Sierra Leone and upon his arrival the person under- went the necessary tests and he is being monitored on a daily basis," Fearne said, adding that although the person is not infected health authorities will be monitoring him for 21 days. The incubation period of the virus is between two and 21 days, mean- ing the biggest threat did not come from persons reaching Malta by sea, such as migrants, but by per- sons who enter Malta by plane. Test results are available on the same day they are performed and anyone arriving from West African countries will be kept at the airport before being given permission to return home, or receive treatment if infected. Fearne said he was satisfied with the preparations underway and gave an assurance that the facilities and precautions taken are of the highest standard. Michael Borg, head of the Infec- tions Control Department at Mater Dei explained that staff had under- gone the necessary training and two rooms within his department had been prepared for the treat- ment of patients. What is Ebola? Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) initial symptoms include sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat. In its later stages other symptoms emerge, such as vomiting, diarrhoea and – in some cases – both internal and external bleeding. How do humans get infected? Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus. The disease infects humans through close contact with the bats and other animals such as chimpanzees and forest antelope. The incubation period can last from two days to three weeks, and diagnosis is difficult. The human disease has so far been mostly limited to Africa, although one strain has cropped up in the Philippines. How is it transmitted? The virus cannot be transmitted by areosols or through water and food. However, Ebola spreads through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. Even funerals of Ebola victims can be a risk, if mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to seven weeks after recovery from illness. Where did it originate? Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo, near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name. Ebola outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. Where did the latest outbreak start? The current outbreak began in Guinea in March and has spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. This outbreak is unusual because it started in Guinea, which has never before been affected. A man who flew from Liberia to Nigeria in July was quarantined on his arrival and later died of Ebola – the first case in Nigeria. One of the nurses who treated him has since died. How many people have died so far? As of 6 August 2014, the cumulative number of cases attributed to Ebola in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone stands at 1,779 including 961 deaths. Since 1967, over 2,500 deaths have been attributed to the virus. Can it be treated? There is no specific treatment for the disease. No licensed vaccine for Ebola is currently available, however several vaccines are being tested but so far none is available for clinical use. Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids. The disease has a high mortality rate often killing between 50% to 90% of those infected with the virus. What precautions should you take? Avoid contact with Ebola patients and their bodily fluids. Do not touch anything – such as shared towels – which could have become contaminated in a public place. Carers must wear gloves and protective equipment, such as masks, and wash their hands regularly. Do not eat raw bushmeat and avoid any contact with infected bats or monkeys and apes. Fruit bats in particular are considered a delicacy in the area of Guinea where the outbreak started. In March, Liberia's health minister advised people to stop having sex, in addition to existing advice not to shake hands or kiss. Source: WHO Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne addressing the media yesterday