The Ministry of Health says it has activated precautionary measures nationwide following the declaration of the Ebola disease outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.
The current outbreak, caused by a rare virus (the Bundibugyo virus) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda, has already claimed 80 lives, with at least 246 suspected cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Sunday. The casualties could become high in the coming weeks because there is no vaccine for the current strain of Ebola.
However, the WHO said the outbreak doesn’t meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like COVID-19, and advised against the closure of international borders.
“No country should close its borders or place any restrictions on travel and trade. Such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no basis in science. National authorities should work with airlines and other transport and tourism industries to ensure that they do not exceed WHO’s advice on international traffic,” WHO Chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.
In Ghana, the Health Ministry says it is implementing enhanced surveillance and screening at airports, seaports, and land borders, training health workers to identify and isolate suspected cases, and activating public emergency coordination.
What is Ebola
The Ebola disease is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials and surfaces. This is not the first time Ebola has become a global health concern. Since it first emerged in 1976, there have been more than 40 documented outbreaks. This is the 17th outbreak in the DRC.