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Health Workers At Higher Risk Of Contracting Rare African Virus

A public health physician and State Epidemiologist from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, on Saturday warned that health workers are at … Continue reading Health Workers At Higher Risk Of Contracting Rare African Virus


Dr. Ismail Abdus-SalamA public health physician and State Epidemiologist from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, on Saturday warned that health workers are at a higher risk of contracting the rare Ebola Virus, which was first discovered in then Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Africa in 1976.

“The health workers are highly at risk of contracting this infection because you need a high index of suspicion to take care of the patient and you might not even know when you are dealing with a patient that had this viral hemorrhagic fever,” he said, while appearing on Sunrise.

Mr Abdul-Salam who noted that the virus led to the death of 88 percent of those infected in the first recorded outbreak, explained that the Ebola hemorrhagic fever is caused by Ebola virus which is in the same family with the yellow fever virus.

On 23rd March, the Ministry of Health of Guinea informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the epidemic of Ebola Virus in the country. As of April 1st, 127 people had been infected and 83 deaths, giving about 65 percent death rate. “This shows it is a very deadly disease.”

Although there is no known cure for the disease, the epidemiologist said sound knowledge of the reservoir of the infection and the method of transmission will help in curbing the epidemic. He further disclosed that “Bats, especially, have been incriminated” as reservoirs of the Ebola Virus but it has also been linked to primates … like monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas.

“They harbour the virus which live and multiply in them and at the end of the day they do not do any harm to those reservoirs who act as a source of transmission,” he added.

According to him, the virus can be contracted via “close contact with the animal itself, with the body fluid of that animal, with the blood of that animal or secretions of that animal.” He stressed that contact with these aforementioned will surely lead to infection.

Dr. Abdul-Salam noted that the infection can be contacted from direct contact with humans who have been infected or carry the virus, adding that contact via inhalation is possible but it has not been established.

“Apart from that, direct contact even with the dead body” of persons who died as a result of the infection can lead to others being infected, he said, warning that “a lot of care has to be taken by those who would do the normal ritual” in preparation for burial. Such caretakers must use personal protective equipment that are specialised for the type of disease.

Although the incubation period of the Ebola virus has been pegged as 2-21 days, the signs and symptoms are “non-specific” and may range from normal feeling of sickness, to muscle weakness, malaise, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing.

This also makes it difficult for the health worker to immediately identify the Ebola Virus but signs such as passing of blood through different body openings, especially the rectum are strong indications.

He advised members of the public who develop non-specific symptoms which seem to defy treatment to be at alert. Others should avoid contact with persons who display symptoms of the disease. Dead bodies of those who died from infection should be avoided.

Also, “we have to take extra care when dealing with animals and animal products.”