DOHA: Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), a member of Qatar Foundation, has outlined facts about the Ebola virus, dismissing fears about its spread to more areas, in its latest edition of Ask the expert series.
The interactive public talks are part of WCMC-Q’s Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First campaign to help the public understand health matters and encourage them to make positive changes in their lives.
The Ebola virus has been hogging headlines around the world with the media discussing the possibility of a pandemic. But Dr Ravinder Mamtani, Associate Dean, Global and Public Health, WCMC-Q, said the public had nothing to fear about the virus unless they are travelling to the affected regions of West Africa.
Ebola was discovered in 1976 when there were two outbreaks in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then the disease has made sporadic returns but the outbreak last March has been the deadliest, killing more than 7,000 people, mostly in West Africa.
“It is true that the virus is highly infectious but is not transmitted by casual contact. Also, Ebola cannot be transmitted through air like influenza, you have to physically come into contact with bodily fluids of someone exhibiting symptoms which means it is unlikely to spread among populations distant from the affected areas,” said Dr Mamtani.
It is thought that fruit bats act as a reservoir for the disease and they pass the virus onto other wildlife. Researchers believe the virus is introduced into the human population through close contact with blood and other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas, he said.
There is no cure or vaccination but Dr Mamtani said research continues and there are two possible candidates for a vaccine. The most important issue now is disease control, efficiently isolating patients and correctly disposing of bedding and clothes once the patient has recovered.
According to World Health Organisation, outbreak control measures include “applying a package of interventions — case management, surveillance, contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation”.
Educating the public on risk factors and appropriate preventive measures individuals can take to reduce virus transmission is vital, he added.
The Peninsula
