Cameroon on the alert after cases of haemorrhagic fever in Equatorial Guinea
Guinea began a new series of vaccinations against the Ebola virus on February 24, 2021. (Illustration photo) © AFP - Carol Valade
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1 min
Does the Ebola virus threaten Cameroon?
Health authorities are taking the lead after unexplained deaths across the southern border in Equatorial Guinea in Kie Ntem province.
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Cameroonian health authorities are ready for screening and possible response in the health districts of Ambam, Kye Ossi and Olamze, assures Manaouda Malachie, Cameroonian Minister of Health.
But
“you have to know what virus it is before being alarmist
”, he believes, before explaining that Cameroon is collaborating with Equatorial Guinea in this direction.
“
We have been kept informed by our field surveillance system of a haemorrhagic fever of viral origin which has certainly raged in a neighboring country.
Insofar as the three districts are bordering, the risk of importation is therefore known and high.
This is why we believe that there is a risk either of an importation which has already taken place, or of a future importation”,
warns Manaouda Malachie.
“
That said, I do not want to say that there is any Ebola virus in Cameroon,
wants to reassure the Minister of Health.
We have deployed a team in the field to go and collect and work with their counterparts in this neighboring country and so they will bring us back samples that we will have analyzed in our laboratories.
Then we'll be able to tell what it's all about
."
In the meantime, the Cameroonian authorities have made available to the populations of these localities a toll-free number, 1510. They encourage them to report any death or symptom of haemorrhagic fever, not to touch the bodies of sick or deceased persons, nor the sick or found dead animals, and also to wash their hands with running water and soap.
► To read also: The WHO strongly recommends two treatments against Ebola, a first
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Cameroon
Equatorial Guinea
Ebola