Cambodia urges people to be vigilant over Ebola
Phnom Penh, May 18
The Cambodian government has urged the public to take precautionary measures against Ebola, although the kingdom has not yet detected any case of the virus so far, the Ministry of Health said in a statement on Monday.
The statement came after the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday declared an international health emergency as an Ebola outbreak had killed more than 80 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the virus had also spread to Uganda, causing infections and deaths.
"To date, Cambodia has not yet detected any cases of Ebola," the statement said. "The Ministry of Health has been closely monitoring the situation and has disseminated knowledge and guidance to emergency response teams, health workers, and the public through social media platforms," Xinhua news agency reported.
In addition, the ministry has prepared necessary measures for prevention and immediate response if any suspected cases occur in the Southeast Asian country, the statement added.
Ebola is the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever that causes severe, often fatal illness in humans, the statement said, adding that the death rate is as high as 80 to 90 per cent if not treated promptly.
Meanwhile, around 350 suspected Ebola cases and 91 probable deaths have been recorded in the DRC amid the current outbreak, Health Minister Roger Kamba said Sunday.
"We have 59 patients who are actively being treated at the moment," he said in Bunia, capital of the eastern Ituri province, cited by local media on Monday.
He said that three new Ebola treatment sites are being set up in Rwampara, Mongwalu and Bunia -- the areas considered to be the main epicentres of the outbreak -- to expand the capacity of health facilities in response to the scale of the outbreak.
On Sunday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak in the DRC and Uganda an international public health emergency.
International spread has already been documented, with two confirmed cases reported in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday and Saturday following travel from the DRC. Both confirmed cases were admitted to intensive care units in Kampala, said the WHO on Sunday.
Neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania, have stepped up surveillance, border screening and emergency preparedness measures.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, I'm a bit worried. The death rate is 80-90% if untreated. We need to ensure our health infrastructure is ready, especially in rural areas. Just because we don't have cases now doesn't mean we can be complacent.
I've been reading about the Ebola outbreak for weeks. The WHO declaring it an emergency is serious. Cambodia is smart to act early. India should coordinate with neighboring countries for stronger monitoring.
As someone who works in global health, I appreciate the swift response from Cambodia and the WHO. India already has decent surveillance systems from the COVID era. Hope we use them well for Ebola too.
True yaar, but we must remember that 59 active cases are being treated in DRC. That's still manageable if contained. Our media shouldn't create panic, just awareness. Hats off to Cambodia for sensible approach.
The international spread to Uganda is concerning. I hope India and other Asian countries are doing proper temperature screening at airports. Ebola requires high vigilance—we all saw in 2014 how it can spread.
Gotta appreciate the Cambodian health ministry being proactive. India should take similar steps. But I wonder if our system is ready for another viral outbreak
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