The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) continues to monitor developments in West Africa with respect to the Ebola outbreak, and the assessment is that it poses a low public health risk to the country.
Persons traveling or who have recently visited Africa especially West Africa, should be cautious and take measures to protect their health. If a traveller becomes unwell with sudden onset of high fever, stomach pains, diarrhoea, rash or bleeding within three (3) weeks of being in any of these areas in West Africa (Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone), need to see a doctor right away. You must also inform the doctor about your travel history.
The World Health Organization (WHO) expects that the outbreak can last at least six months or more, and even though at the moment the risk for an imported case is small, public health authorities will remain alert and vigilant.
The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa poses a low risk for the Caribbean. There are no cases of Ebola in the Caribbean.
The total number of probable and confirmed cases in the current outbreak of Ebola in the four affected countries is 3069, with 1552 deaths.
A separate outbreak of Ebola, which is not related to the outbreak in West Africa, was laboratory confirmed on 26 August by the Democratic Republic of Congo. On August 30, Senegal has also confirmed a case of Ebola.
Even though there are no WHO travel advisories, persons should also consider postponing travel to affected areas if it is non-essential.
Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
This EVD outbreak has a fatality rate of 54%. Early intervention is having a positive result on mortality as it used to be 90%.
Those who still decide to travel to West Africa are advised to adopt the following necessary precautions: practice frequent hand washing (e.g. after going to the toilet, or when hands are soiled); avoid direct contact with blood, secretions or other body fluids of infected living or dead persons or animals, as well as environments that have become contaminated with these infectious fluids such as soiled clothing, bed linen, or used needles.
Avoid participating in burial ceremonies which require direct contact with the body of a deceased infected person; avoid contact with wild animals, including bats, monkeys, apes, chimpanzee and gorillas, whether alive or dead, including their raw or undercooked meat.
For further information you should consult with your family physician or call CPS at telephone number: 542-3553, 542-2078.