Ebola Scare: Panic At International Ports Of Entry

If you are travelling from Africa to London, New York, Amsterdam or most Western Airports, make sure you don't cough or sneeze before an immigration officer or else they will suspect you of having symptoms of Ebola. You will immediately be bundled off and quarantined for twenty one days. You will only be released after they have satisfied themselves that you have no Ebola virus.

A Ghanaian who is resident in London went to Ghana on holidays. On his return he received a letter from his employees asking him to stay at home for twenty one days. He should report to work only if it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that he has no Ebola virus after the days at home.

How is Ebola different from other infectious diseases? Ebola is different in the sense that, like HIV/AIDS, no known cure has as yet been found. Ebola, apart from being infectious, is a very fatal disease marked by fever and severe internal bleeding. The disease spreads through contact with infected body fluids by a filo virus which has now come to be known as Ebola virus whose normal host species are unknown. It is a dangerous virus that can cause people to fall seriously sick and even die.

The Ebola virus is named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease claimed its first known victims in 1976. In February 2014 an outbreak of the Ebola virus was identified in the south-eastern forests of Guinea, being the first time the virus had erupted again in recent times in the West African state. By March, it had spread to the capital Conakry and by April it had reached neighbouring Liberia. Since then, the disease has advanced to Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. In the first week of August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak an international health emergency, and by the second week the Ebola death rate had surpassed 1,000 fatalities.

By 11 November 2014, 5,165 confirmed Ebola deaths had been recorded in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, while eight deaths were reported in Nigeria. Close on 14,400 cases of Ebola have been recorded so far.

There are suggestions that the official figures understate the number of deaths. A recent BBC article argued that a figure of 12,000 deaths would be more likely and that the data is, quite frankly, a bit of a mess.

During a press conference on 14 October, Dr Bruce Aylward, the WHO's assistant director-general, said the official death toll had climbed to 4,447 and warned that the number of new cases was likely to range from 5,000 to 10,000 a week by early December.

Since no known cure has been discovered for the Ebola virus, there is complete panic at major international airports, especially at London Heathrow and New York John F Kennedy (JFK) Airports. The background of this general fear and panic was when two aid workers from the USA who were involved in helping the Ebola victims in Liberia ended up being infected with the virus.

They were flown off to the USA under a certificate of urgency. They were immediately taken care of and, unlike the Liberians who are killed by Ebola, they survived and are still living healthy lives. Since then the US government is on a high alert to prevent the virus from entering America.

Quite recently an American woman who had visited Liberia was whisked off to be quarantined on her arrival at JFK Airport. Other Africans were also bundled off and quarantined. The woman did not rest. She fought for her freedom. She called to her lawyer and within a week the lady was out of quarantine. What happened to the defenceless Africans in quarantine? There was no one out there to help them and they had to remain there for twenty one days.

A Liberian student in Ghana went to Liberia for a two months holiday. When he was returning he decided to spend a week in London before returning to Ghana. He was stopped at the immigration check-point, bundled in a thick blanket and quarantined. Before the twenty days expired, he was diagnosed with Ebola virus. He died two weeks later after the diagnosis.

The general fear of the AIDS virus comes nowhere near the panic and paranoia surrounding Ebola. Action must be taken and very early enough to stop Ebola becoming a reality in Ghana. The borders must be tightened and if there are machines to determine who has symptoms of Ebola, those machines must be purchased and installed at all the nation's borders and at Kotoka International Airports. Body contacts especially handshakes must be avoided as much as possible. Special disinfectants must be used regularly to clean the hands.

Other measures must include a minimal consumption or avoidance of bush meat and bats especially at chop bars and restaurants since it is believed these animals carry the Ebola virus. Infants, pre-school kids and school pupils must regularly be educated through flash cards and physical demonstrations on how to prevent Ebola. Food and meat must be well cooked, cold foods must be stored in fridges at the right temperature and lastly personal hygiene must be strictly observed.

Stephen Atta Owusu
Author: Dark Faces at Crossroads
Email: [email protected]