Ebola: Update 25 Mon, Aug 2014

Ebola: Update 

25 Mon, Aug 2014

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa has had significant implications for travel to and from Africa. In response to the outbreak, a number of countries on the continent have implemented restrictions on travel to and from countries affected by the virus, while some have even instituted travel bans. Misinformation about the spread of Ebola and Africa’s geography has also resulted in travel cancellations.

Please view the attached map for infected areas.

Most Recent Confirmed Case:

The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed that an outbreak of haemorrhagic fever in the north of the country has been identified as Ebola.

The virus has been identified in two people from the Equateur province, where 13 others have already died.

However, Health Minister Felix Numbi said the disease seemed to be a different strain to the outbreak in West Africa.

      

A quarantine zone has been set up around the affected area near Jera, more than 1 200km northeast Kinshasa, to contain the disease.

The cases are the first reported outside West Africa since the outbreak began in February.

Official figures say 1 427 people have died from Ebola thus far.

INFECTED AREAS: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Algeria

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Angola

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Benin

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Botswana

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Botswana has banned travellers from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria.

Botswana's Health Deputy Permanent Secretary, Shenaaz El-Halabi, said during a recent media briefing that Botswana is screening all arrivals from West Africa and that the country has implemented Travel restrictions for visitors from the four affected countries. These measures are part of a new comprehensive Preparedness Plan.

Travel incidents: The African Travel and Tourism Association reported that US tourists were refused entry into Botswana because they had arrived from Lagos, Nigeria.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 300km

Burkina Faso

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Burundi

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Cameroon

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Cameroon has placed a travel ban on Nigeria, Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Flight cancellations: Cameroon banned all flights from Nigeria last week.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 2 500km

Canary Islands

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Cape Verde Islands

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Central African Republic

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Chad

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Comoros

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Congo

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Democratic Republic Of The Congo

Ebola cases: The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed two cases of Ebola.

However, these cases are unrelated to the epidemic in West Africa, as it seems to be a different strain of the disease. The cases were found in Equateur province near Jera, more than 1 200 kilometres (750 miles) northeast of Kinshasa. The area has been quarantined.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also reported that about 70 out of 592 people that contracted hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (an ailment which has similar symptoms with the Ebola Virus Disease but a much higher survival rate than Ebola) have died in the DRC.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 3 250km

Djibouti

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Egypt

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Equatorial Guinea

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Eritrea

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Ethiopia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Ethiopia has not banned travel to and from Ebola-affected countries. Doctors and nurses are on standby at the airport to treat any possible cases in isolation.

Flight cancellations: Ethiopian Airlines is continuing flights to West Africa. The airline has no direct flights to Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea. Airline officials have said that the airline is taking precautions.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 500km

Gabon

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Ghana

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: The government of Ghana issued a travel advisory on Thursday, August 21, urging citizens to only travel to the affected countries if it is "absolutely necessary" to do so.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 1 200km

Guinea

Ebola cases: Ebola has hit Guinea with 607 reported cases and 406 deaths.

Researchers believe that the first human case of the Ebola virus disease leading to the 2014 outbreak was a 2-year-old boy who died 6 December 2013 in the village of Meliandou. His mother, 3-year-old sister and grandmother then became ill with symptoms consistent with Ebola infection and died.

Travel restrictions: Health officials in Guinea say all passengers departing from the capital city's airport must fill out a health form and have their temperature taken. Anyone with a temperature higher than 38�C will be tested for the disease.

Guinea Bissau

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Ivory Coast

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Ivory Coast has banned travel to and from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Flight cancellations: Ivory Coast announced last week that it has banned all flights from Ebola-affected countries. The government said in a statement that it has forbidden all carriers from transporting passengers from these countries.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 650km

Kenya

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Kenya has banned travel to and from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

The Kenyan Minister of Health, James Macharia, said the country would temporarily suspend entry into Kenya of passengers travelling from and through Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, with effect from 19 August.

Flight cancellations: Korean Airlines has suspended flights to Nairobi.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 400km

Lesotho

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Liberia

Ebola cases: Liberia is the hardest hit by the disease with 1 082 reported cases and 624 deaths.

Travel restrictions: The Liberian government on Sunday, August 24, closed most of its border crossings with the exception of major entry points.

Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said the government is testing all outgoing and incoming passengers. Public gatherings such as marches, demonstrations and promotional advertisements will be restricted.

Libya

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Madagascar

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Malawi

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Mali

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Mauritania

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Mauritania has banned travel to and from Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Mauritanian authorities recently decided to deny entry to citizens from African countries hit by Ebola to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. In a statement, the Health Ministry said the decision applies to the citizens of Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 1 450km

Mauritius

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Morocco

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Morocco has not imposed a travel ban or advisory.

Morocco is following the recommendations of WHO and will host Guinea for its match against Togo on the first day of the group stage qualifiers of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015 on September 5.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 3 150km

Mozambique

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: There are no travel bans in place.

Mozambique has drawn up a questionnaire that will be asked of all passengers who have come from, or passed through, the West African countries where Ebola has been reported (Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria).

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 900km

Namibia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Namibia has banned all travellers from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone as part of precautionary measures to prevent the virus from reaching Namibia.

Namibian citizens that have travelled to these countries will be entitled to come back into the country, but will be subjected to strict screening at the port of entry to ensure that they are not infected with Ebola.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 4 400km

Niger

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Nigeria

Ebola cases: Nigeria has reported 16 cases of Ebola with five deaths.

Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian official, flew from Liberia to Nigeria after exposure to the virus and died at Lagos soon after arrival. A doctor and nurse who treated Sawyer both died from Ebola.

Travel restrictions: Nigeria's civil aviation authority (NCAA) has started temperature screening passengers arriving from places at risk from Ebola at all major international airports. A compulsory blood test follows if the passenger's temperature gives cause for concern.

Flight cancellations: The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has suspended all Asky Airline flight operations to Nigeria. Arik Air has suspended flight operations to Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 2 100km

Reunion

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Rwanda

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Sao Tome And Principe

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Senegal

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Senegal has closed its border with Guinea and banned travel to and from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone as a preventative measure.

Travel incidents: According to reports, a regional flight to Dakar, Senegal, that was carrying aid workers from Liberia was prevented from landing on Thursday, August 22.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 1 200km

Seychelles

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Seychelles is introducing visa requirements for citizens from countries in the West African region. This includes Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Congo, DRC, Gambia, Mauritania, and Senegal.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 7 500km

Sierra Leone

Ebola cases: Sierra Leone has been hit by Ebola with 910 reported cases and 392 deaths.

Travel restrictions: The Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority has announced that all passengers going through the Freetown International Airport shall undergo Ebola Virus checks as an integral component of the normal airport screening process. Passengers will be required to wash their hands with chlorinated water, go through a temperature scan and complete a public health passenger form.

Somalia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

South Africa

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: South Africa has issued a travel ban for all non-citizens travelling from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in an attempt to prevent the spread of Ebola into South Africa. Non-citizens will only be allowed into South Africa when travelling from these high-risk countries if the entry into the country is considered 'absolutely essential'.

The South African Department of Health has issued a travel advisory against all but essential travel to Liberia, Guinea or Sierra Leone.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 500km

Sudan

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Swaziland

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Tanzania

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: All major airports in Tanzania have been equipped with Ebola screening devices for testing passengers arriving from West Africa for the virus.

Distance from Ebola outbreak:5 750km

The Gambia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Togo

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Tunisia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Uganda

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Uganda has intensified screening of travelers coming into the country at Entebbe Airport and other border posts. The ministry of health also issued a warning to Ugandans intending to travel to West Africa to do so only when it is a necessity.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 4 900km

Western Sahara

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Zambia

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Zambia has issued contradictory information on whether or not it has closed its borders for travellers from Ebola-affected countries.

Health Minister Joseph Kasonde said Zambia has not banned entry into the country for individuals coming from Ebola hit countries, but has issued a travel advisory. He said a travel advisory is not a ban but a travel advice restricting not only nationals of the affected countries but anyone traveling from the affected countries into Zambia. He said anyone suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus would be quarantined.

A statement posted on the Ministry of Health website on Saturday said Zambia would restrict entry of travellers from countries affected by the Ebola virus and would ban Zambians from travelling to those countries.

"All delegates from any of the countries affected by Ebola virus disease are restricted from entering Zambia until further notice," the statement reads.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 000km

Zimbabwe

Ebola cases: No reported cases of Ebola

Travel restrictions: Zimbabwe is 'closely monitoring' all travellers from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. Health ports have been set up at all the border posts. Port health officer are reportedly interviewing people coming from Ebola zones and examining them for possible symptoms. They are then referred to the hospital for tests.

The government has advised against travel to affected countries.

Distance from Ebola outbreak: 5 350km

Ebola cases rising - Latest Update

Ebola cases rising
Updated 12 Aug 2014 @ 09:38

Two more people have been infected with Ebola in Nigeria, bringing the total number of cases there to nine as the outbreak spreads through West Africa.

All the infected patients are reportedly in hospital in Lagos.

Two people have died of Ebola in Nigeria.
       
The country has banned the transport of corpses across national and state borders, in an attempt to halt an outbreak that has killed over 1 000 people in West Africa.

Meanwhile, Senegal has reported its first suspected Ebola case, in the nation's north.

The World Health Organization says 1 013 have died from Ebola in West Africa since February.  
The Liberian army has put a third province under quarantine in an attempt to halt the spread of the Ebola virus.

Lofa county in the north has now been quarantined by the army. Similar measures have been taken in the provinces of Boma and Grand Cape Mount.

In other news, Liberia will receive an untested experimental drug, Zmapp, to treat people infected with Ebola.

Zmapp has been used in the US on two aid workers who have shown signs of improvement.

However, the drug has only been tested on monkeys and has not yet been evaluated for safety in humans.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast has banned all passenger flights from the three countries hit the worst by the spread of Ebola: Guinea; Liberia; and Sierra Leone.

It is the second country, after Saudi Arabia, to impose such a ban in a bid to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

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EBOLA UPDATE - Blockades erected to stop Ebola

Blockades erected to stop Ebola

Updated 08 Aug 2014 @ 09:31 

This alert applies to to the following locations: Liberia / Sierra Leone

Liberian soldiers have set up a blockade stopping people from western regions affected by the Ebola outbreak from entering the capital, Monrovia.
  
The action follows the president's declaration of a state of emergency to tackle the outbreak that has killed more than 930 people in West Africa this year.
  
In Sierra Leone, security forces have now imposed a complete blockade of eastern areas hit by Ebola.

Health experts in Switzerland are currently discussing a response to the outbreak and whether to declare the outbreak a global health emergency.
        
If a public health emergency is declared, it could involve detailed plans to identify; isolate and treat cases; as well as impose travel restrictions on affected areas.

Meanwhile, the US State Department has ordered all family members of US personnel to leave the embassy in Monrovia because of the Ebola outbreak.

Ebola Update - State of Emergency declared: LIBERIA

State of Emergency declared

Updated 07 Aug 2014 @ 09:25

Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, has declared a state of emergency as the country grapples with an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

The outbreak has also hit Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria, killing more than 930 people.

World Health Organization (WHO) experts are currently meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss a response to the outbreak.

The two-day meeting will decide whether to declare a global health emergency.

Yesterday, WHO said 932 patients had died of the disease in West Africa so far, with most of the latest fatalities reported in Liberia, where at least 282 have died of the virus.

Liberia's state of emergency will be in place for 90 days.

Nigeria's Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, has also described the outbreak as a national emergency, adding that people worldwide are at risk because of air travel.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian authorities said that a Saudi man who was treated for Ebola-like symptoms after visiting Sierra Leone has died at a hospital in Jeddah. If confirmed, it would be the first Ebola-related death outside Africa.

Hurricanes set to slam into islands

Hurricanes set to slam into islands

Updated 06 Aug 2014 @ 09:36

Heavy rain, strong winds and rough seas will be some of the effects caused by Hurricane Iselle, which is set to hit Hawaii tomorrow night.

Scattered power outages are expected across the island, including in Honolulu.  

Multiple roads could also be washed out on the Big Island; Oahu; Lanai; and Kauai.

Inexperienced swimmers, boarders and boaters should exercise extreme caution in the waters from today onwards as waves will build in strength and number.

The following advice has been issued to residents and travellers alike:

1. Go to the bank and withdraw extra cash.

2. Fill your car's petrol tank.

3. Keep mobile phones and other electronics charged.

4. Get prescription medications refilled and make provisions for any medicines that must be chilled or that require special handling. Power could be out for more than a week if a Hurricane Julio also strikes.

Ebola Outbreak - Update

Updated 06 Aug 2014 @ 09:34

Liberia's Ebola death toll is rising dramatically, while abandoned bodies line streets across the country.

The World Health Organisation is warning of possible catastrophic consequences in West Africa.  

A total of 268 people had died of the virus as of August 2, almost 100 more than the toll a week before. Among the dead were 37 health workers and at least 2 497 people are suspected to be infected with Ebola.

The situation has gotten so bad that dead bodies are lying abandoned in the streets as Liberia's authorities are struggling to cope with the outbreak that has killed hundreds across West Africa.

Numerous health facilities have also had to shut down across the country after health care workers were threatened by locals who believe foreigners had brought Ebola into the country.  

Travellers are advised to maintain strict hygiene standards at all times.

Meanwhile, a number of airlines have suspended flights to countries in West Africa as a result of the outbreak. British Airways is the latest airline to suspend flights to Sierra Leone and Liberia until August 31.