Authorities in Guinea declared a new Ebola outbreak on Sunday when the tests came positive for the virus after four people fell ill and three died in the southern part of the country. Since the worst outbreak in 2013-16, this is the first resurgence of the deadly disease.
After attending a burial in Goueke sub-prefecture, people fell ill with bleeding, vomiting, and diarrhea. The health ministry said in a statement that those still infected had been shifted to the isolated treatment centers. It said, “faced with this situation and following international health regulations, the Guinean government declares an Ebola epidemic.
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The patients attended the funeral of a nurse at a local health center, who died after being transferred for treatment to a city near the border with Ivory Coast and Liberia. Previously, the earlier outbreak in 13-16 started in the city of Nzerekore, and the busy borders hampered the efforts to contain the deadly outbreak.
With a vast majority of cases recorded in Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, the fatal-disease went on to kill a total of 11,300. Given the current outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the new outbreak of Ebola is likely to overwhelm the health services across the country. As of Sunday, Guinea, home to a population of 12 million people, has recorded nearly 14,895 confirmed infections, with 84 deaths.
Although unlike the coronavirus Ebola is transferred through body fluids, it has a much higher death rate. Meanwhile, the country’s health ministry maintained that it was trying to trace and isolate the potential cases of the deadly disease. It further added that they will also open a treatment facility in the city of Goueke. Additionally, the authorities have also asked the WHO for the vaccines. In recent the quality and efficacy of the vaccine have greatly improved, resulting in fewer fatalities.
