Guinea declares Ebola epidemic after at least four deaths and seven cases

Guinea has declared an Ebola epidemic after four people died in the country’s southeast and seven others became ill from the disease. The head of Guinea’s health agency on February 14 announced that the country is declaring an Ebola “epidemic” with seven cases confirmed in the West African country nation, ANI reported citing Al Jazeera. The cases announced on Sunday by the health ministry are the first since the deadly Ebola epidemic ravaged the country, alongside Liberia and Sierra Leone, five years ago. 

Earlier, while speaking to reporters, the country’s health minister, Remy Lamah had said that officials were “really concerned” about the deaths. West Africa was previously hit by the Ebola outbreak from 2013 to 2016 which led to over 11,300 deaths. As per reports, one of the victims was a nurse who fell ill in late January and was buried on February 1.  Eight people who participated in the burial started showing symptoms following which they were admitted to the hospital. Three of them lost their lives while one escaped the hospital but was eventually traced.

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As a result, the Guinean government declared an Ebola epidemic and even started to contact tracing and isolating suspected cases. Lamah told the Associated Press, “I confirm it’s Ebola. The results prove it”. He further informed that the patients were tested after showing symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. Those who came in contact with them are already in isolation, the official said. 

WHO African Region also tweeted about the Ebola outbreak. The WHO said that the staff is already on the ground supporting surveillance, infection prevention, and community engagement. The UN agency also said that it is supporting Guinea to procure the Ebola vaccine which has proven instrumental in controlling outbreaks in the DRC. Moreover, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also tweeted that the organisation has activated all levels to coordinate support, including access to the Ebola vaccine. 

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Ebola epidemic

The Ebola virus was first identified in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The latest outbreak occurred between 2013 and 2016, which was declared an epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak primarily affected Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea, which posted a combined death toll of 11,308. The disease was also detected in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and the United States, where at least 1 person died. 
 
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