Azerbaijan tightly controlling Ebola

/AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Today, all people are concerned about the spread of Ebola virus. The dangerous disease spreads via direct contact through broken skin or mucous membranes with the blood, or other bodily fluids or secretions (stool, urine, saliva, semen) of infected people.

Ebola virus causes an acute severe disease, which is often fatal if left untreated. The disease was observed first in Nzara, Sudan, and Yambuku, Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1976.

The recent outbreak began in the winter of 2014 in West Africa. The mortality rate among infected people is very high. To protect yourself against the disease, it is necessary to observe personal hygiene.

As Deputy Director of the Republican Anti-Plague Station of the Azerbaijani Health Ministry Shair Gurbanov noted the virus infections are recorded mainly in African countries.

"It is necessary to check those who come from Africa. However, it is known that our tourists make no trips to Africa," Gurbanov told local media.

Recently, Azerbaijani pilgrims making Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) returned to the homeland. This fact sparked public concerns about penetration of Ebola into the country, as Azerbaijani pilgrims have contacted with other pilgrims from African countries, where the virus has been observed.

The first group of Azerbaijani pilgrims returned to Baku on October11. All other pilgrims will arrive at home by October 15. In comparison with previous years when some pilgrims went to Mekka by bus, this year they made their pilgrimage only via air transport, because of the tense situation in Syria.

Gurbanov said that penetration of this dangerous disease into Azerbaijan is impossible.

He also stressed that all those coming from abroad with high temperature are immediately taken under control. However, this does not amount to quarantine. The incubation period of Ebola is maximum 21 days. People are infectious until their blood and secretions contain viruses, which lasts up to 60 days.

Gurbanov noted that if someone is infected with the virus, even the day before his/her arrival in Baku, the disease shows itself. "We should take this point into account that the Ebola virus is not transmitted by airborne droplets. You can only catch it through blood. However, this phenomenon has not been studied fully yet," he added.

The deputy said that a special ward has been established for suspected persons to the Ebola.

All the preparatory work for the isolation of suspected patients have been undertaken. There is a sufficient amount of drugs despite the drugs against the virus is not available at all. However, there are a lot of drugs for the symptomatic treatment of reference.

Gurbanov noted that all activities in this field are regulated on the basis of WHO recommendations. If any case of infection is detected, the government will take all measures in accordance with these guidelines.

Azerbaijan is not included in the risk zone of Ebola, as it is such countries as Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria.

/AzernEWS