Even as Africa battles the deadly COVID-19 virus, an old foe, which decimated part of the
continent’s population a few years ago has returned.
The Ebola virus has been officially confirmed to be in circulation in Guinea after three people
died of infections in the West African country.
The World Health Organization says it has been jolted into alertness as the development in
Guinea is described as an epidemic.
“The WHO is on full alert and is in contact with the manufacturer [of a vaccine] to ensure the
necessary doses are made available as quickly as possible to help fight back,” Alfred George Ki-
Zerbo, the WHO representative in Guinea, is quoted as saying.
Ebola is a very infectious virus which kills by first weakening the immune system of victims. The
three who have died, together with four others – fell ill with diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding
after attending the burial of a nurse.
Between 2013 and 2016 more than 11,000 people died in the West Africa Ebola epidemic,
which began in Guinea.
In response to that epidemic, which mainly affected Guinea and its neighbours Liberia and
Sierra Leone, several vaccines were trialled, which have since been successfully used to fight
outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
An Ebola vaccine was first trialled over four months in 2015 in Guinea – and drugs that can
increase the survival rate of patients have also been developed in recent years, reports the AFP.
Newly developed vaccines will be acquired through the World Health Organization (WHO),
officials said.
Guinea shares border with Ghana’s westerly neighbor, the Ivory Coast. the outbreak is coming
as the continent is facing an onslaught from the deadly Coronavirus which has killed thousands
across the continent.
Ebola is a virus that initially causes sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore
throat. It progresses to vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding
People are infected when they have direct contact through broken skin, or the mouth and nose,
with the blood, vomit, faeces or bodily fluids of someone with Ebola.
Patients tend to die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.