FEAR IS RISING IN WEST AFRICA AMID THE REGION'S FIRST-EVER EBOLA OUTBREAK.
THE OUTBREAK BEGAN IN GUINEA'S SOUTHEASTERN FOREST REGION IN FEBRUARY, AND HAS BEEN SPREADING
EVER SINCE, WITH THE DEATH TOLL CONTINUING TO GO UP.
LINORD MOUDOU COVERS AFRICAN HEALTH ISSUES FOR VOA AND JOINS ME RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
(MY
PLEASURE) WHAT IS THIS EBOLA?
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN?
WELL EBOLA DISEASE ACTUALLY IS A VIRUS THAT WAS DISCOVERED IN 1976 IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN
REGION, PRECISELY IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, BUT THEN IT WAS ZAIRE.
AND
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST VIRULENT DISEASES KNOWN AS OF TODAY.
AND IT CAN CAUSE DEATH WITHIN DAYS AND IT'S VERY VERY DANGEROUS.
AND WHAT ARE THE WEST AFRICAN HEALTH OFFICIALS DOING TO TRY TO CONTAIN THE OUTBREAK?
IS THERE A CURE?
CAN YOU AVOID GETTING IT?
YOU CAN AVOID GETTING IT.
SOME OF THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY HEALTH OFFICIALS INCLUDE KEEPING BASIC
RULES OF HYGIENE SUCH AS WASHING YOUR HANDS, AVOIDING BUSH
MEAT.
SOME OF THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION, IT'S PART OF THE DIET TO EAT BUSH MEAT.
MAYBE A MONKEY, OR BATS.
SO OFFICIALS ARE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO AVOID EATING
MEAT, AS OF NOW, AND IF YOU FEEL ANY TYPES OF SYMPTOMS, WHICH INCLUDE FEVER, VOMITING,
DIARRHEA, TO REPORT TO THE NEAREST HEALTH CENTER.
IF THERE IS A CURE?
NO, THERE IS
NO CURE.
THERE IS NOT REALLY A VACCINE EITHER.
WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE SICK IS TO TREAT THE SYMPTOMS,
TO KEEP THEM HYRDATED AND
INSURE THAT THEIR OWN BODY KIND OF REJECTS THE VIRUS.
HOW DOES IT SPREAD?
FIRST OF ALL FROM THE ANIMAL TO HUMANS BY COMING IN CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED WILD ANIMAL.
FROM HUMAN TO HUMAN, IT'S THROUGH BODILY FLUIDS, BLOOD, SEMEN, OR ANY OTHER TYPE
OF BODILY FLUID, THAT'S HOW IT IS SPREAD.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
EATING BUSH MEAT IS PART OF MANY PEOPLE'S CULTURE.
HOW CAN THEY AVOID EATING MEAT WHICH IS A PART OF THEIR DIET?
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT OF COURSE.
I GUESS THE MOST CRITICAL TIME IS WHEN THERE IS AN OUTBREAK OBVIOUSLY SO YOU JUST HAVE
TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE.
LASTLY, IT'S BEEN COMING IN OUTBREAKS, COMING AND GOING.
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?
IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY.
EVEN THE EXPERTS WILL TELL YOU BECAUSE EBOLA IS UNPREDICTABLE, IT'S RARE, AND IT HAPPENS
OFTEN IN REMOTE AREAS.
WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY WITH THE
CASE IN GUINEA IS RARE BECAUSE WE SEE IT HAPPENING IN CONAKRY, IN THE CAPITAL.
SO IT'S VERY VERY DIFFICULT TO TELL.
WHAT HEALTH OFFICIALS HOPE IS THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO
CONTAIN IT.
RIGHT NOW W-H-O IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IN GUINEA, AS WELL AS MEDICINS
SANS FROTIERES, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, AND THEY'RE REALLY
KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND THOSE WHO ARE SICK, EVEN THE HEALTH
WORKERS BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY MUCH VICITIMIZED IN A CRISIS LIKE THIS.
LINORD MOUDOU, VOA AFRICA HEALTH REPORTER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.