OUTSIDE THE RISK GROUP

The deadly Ebola fever continues to spread, claiming ever more lives and necessitating multi-million spending on battling the dangerous disease. According to UN estimates, at least 600m dollars may be needed to combat the Ebola virus in West Africa, while the official number of victims of the disease is approaching 2,000 people.

Can the world respond to the threat?

After the death toll from the Ebola virus exceeded 1,900 people, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been forced to admit that a sad record of the 24 previous outbreaks since the 1970s has been broken. About 400 people have fallen victims to the fever in recent weeks alone.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, reported about 3,500 confirmed and potential cases of infection in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the epidemic is growing. Ebola cases have also been found in Nigeria, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking to journalists, Dr Chan said that the disease could hopefully be halted within six to nine months, but only as a result of the global response to the crisis. But how many people will die in the meantime? According to WHO estimates, more than 20,000 people can potentially be infected with the Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

Dr Joanne Liu, President of the medical charity Doctors Without Borders [Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)], has a different opinion and sounds alarm, as she believes that the world community is unable to respond to the threat of a dangerous disease. "Six months into the worst Ebola epidemic in history, the world is losing the battle to contain it. In West Africa, cases and deaths continue to surge. Riots are breaking out. Isolation centres are overwhelmed. Health workers on the front lines are becoming infected and are dying in shocking numbers. Others have fled in fear, leaving people without care for even the most common illnesses. Entire health systems have crumbled."

The experimental vaccine, which was developed in Canada to fight Ebola, and which was promised to the WHO by Ottawa a few weeks ago for use in Africa, is still in the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg (a commercial and transportation hub of the Canadian Midwest - Author's note), as officials are puzzled over how to transport it. "We are now working with the WHO to address complex regulatory, logistical and ethical issues so that the vaccine can be safely and ethically deployed as rapidly as possible," said Public Health Agency of Canada spokesman Sean Upton in a statement quoted by Reuters.

Likewise, ZMapp, an experimental drug developed in the United States, seems unlikely to reach the areas affected by the epidemic any time soon. It proved to be effective in successfully curing 29-year-old William Pooley - the first Briton who contracted the virus while working in Sierra Leone as a volunteer. Fortunately, the young man was hospitalised at an early stage of the disease, flown to Britain and given an experimental drug. Alas, such treatment cannot be provided to hundreds and thousands of people in West Africa.

Everything is under control

Against this background, it is worth noting that Azerbaijan was immediately alerted to a potential threat of virus infiltration into its territory and responded appropriately. According to the World Health Organization, Azerbaijan is among the group of countries with the lowest risk of Ebola virus spreading. However, the possibility of this deadly virus getting into the country cannot be ruled out, as Azerbaijan has students from African states. For this reason, Minister of Health Oqtay Siraliyev issued the Order "On precautionary measures to prevent the Ebola virus," based on which sanitary and quarantine inspectorate workers jointly with the customs authorities organised monitoring at border checkpoints, Department Head at the Republican Anti-Plague Station Rita Ismayilova said. Monitoring involves medical examination of persons coming to Azerbaijan from countries where the virus has been detected. Furthermore, goods coming from the same countries are also checked.

"Every pre-emptive measure has been taken to prevent this disease from penetrating into Azerbaijan," Ismayilova said. Meanwhile, in case of suspected illness, people should contact the Research Institute of Lung Diseases, which has special wards and conditions for the reception of such patients. "In order not to get infected, people must observe the rules of personal hygiene and avoid contact in crowded places. It is advisable to wear a mask and wash one's hands frequently with soap," Ismayilova said.

It should also be noted that to date, no Ebola virus carriers have been detected on the territory of Azerbaijan.

"We do not receive any animal products from countries where the virus is prevalent. We do not have economic relations with these countries either," Yolcu Xanvalli, spokesman for the State Sanitary Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, told local news agencies commenting on the situation.

As for animal products coming into Azerbaijan [from other countries], the epizootic situation is under control. "We are closely monitoring WHO reports and immediately stop the delivery of products from countries where the situation is unfavourable," he said.

In turn, Chief of the Sanitation and Epidemiology Sector Viktor Qasimov said that the epidemiological situation in the country is stable.

"The Health Ministry of Azerbaijan is taking appropriate preventive measures. We have enough essential drugs," he said.

Earlier, the Directorate of Caucasus Muslims called on pilgrims who were going to undertake a hajj to be extremely careful not to get infected by this deadly virus.

At present, the main centres wherefrom the Ebola fever is spreading are three African countries - Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Many countries have stopped any contact with them and closed the borders.

The primary symptoms of the disease are fever, headache, then flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, and bleeding. Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelopes and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.