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Jamaica increasing Ebola vigilance

Jamaica's Ministry of Health, in a statement released on Friday, said that it will continue its daily monitoring of the Ebola situation in West Africa through the World Health Organization’s Event Information Website.

This along with other measures "to increase the country’s vigilance and preparedness" was discussed during a meeting on Thursday, the release stated, adding that the meeting involved Health Minister Dr. Fenton Ferguson and International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Point and Director, Emergency, Disaster Management and Special Services, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse.

Dr. DuCasse reportedly explained that, while Jamaica does not at this time fall into the category of at-risk countries, “we continue to ensure that our systems are strengthened so that we can have an effective response if the need arises."

She said the country's surveillance system has already been heightened, and that staff will be sensitised and special training will be provided for them, "specific to the Ebola virus," while monitoring of the situation continues. 

Severe, often fatal

According to the Ministry of Health, the Ebola virus is a severe, often fatal illness with a death rate of up to 90%. It is transmitted through direct contact with blood (for example through broken skin), other bodily fluids or secretion such as stool, saliva, urine and semen of infected persons. Infection can also occur if broken skin comes in contact with environments that have become contaminated with an Ebola patient’s infectious fluids such as soiled clothing, bed linen or used needles.

Symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This may be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function and in some cases both internal and external bleeding.

Media relations

Dr. Ducasses also emphasised that public education is an important feature of the Ministry’s strategy. In that regard, she said that there had been no change in the position of the Ministry as it relates to facilitating interviews and providing information through the media about any health related matter.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Health declined a request for interviews from the RJR News Centre (radio and television) to discuss the Ebola issue, the explanation given then being that the Ministry wished to avoid creating panic over the emerging health crisis in West Africa.

In its statement on Friday, however, the Ministry declared: “As part of our communication plan, we will continue to partner with the media through interviews and other methods of disseminating information so that the public is kept informed and understand their part of the responsibility to deal with these types of diseases."

The latest Ebola outbreak has already claimed 728 lives in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

 



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