The African Union Commission Responds To Increased Ebola Cases In Sierra Leone And Guinea

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Wednesday, 4 March 2015; The African Union Commission has been tracking the reported increase in new Ebola cases in Sierra Leone Guinea. After two 21-day incubation cycles passing with no new infections, it was dispiriting to witness Sierra Leone's Vice President, Samuel Sam-Sumana, place himself in a 21-day quarantine following the death of one of his body guards from the disease.

Furthermore, the World Health Organisation reported 99 new confirmed Ebola cases in the region in the week commencing Monday, 22nd February. 63 of those cases were reported in Sierra Leone.

“I urge the people of Sierra Leone and Guinea to remain vigilant and not to become complacent as it is common for new complications to emerge as large epidemics taper off and efforts are exerted to reach zero cases,” explained Mr Yusuf Manj, board member of the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Fund.

“Rumors persist as to the reason for the increased number of cases. The main reasons are the flouting of the traditional burial ban and unknown chains of transmission as stated by the World Health Organisation. Health workers continue to experience challenges when engaging with communities in certain areas; rumors and misinformation linking response efforts with the spread of Ebola also remain an issue.

Another challenge is that individuals in certain rural areas are unable or reluctant to seek treatment. The fact of the matter is that transmission remains widespread, with 8 districts reporting new confirmed cases. The fight is certainly not over yet and we urge concerned citizens to report any concerns and to go to a health facility if they present symptoms such as a fever or vomiting,” concluded Manj.

About #AfricaAgainstEbola:
The #AfricaAgainstEbola campaign is coordinated by the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust, a registered charity, in partnership with the African Union. All donations made to the Africa Against Ebola Solidarity Trust will be used to train, equip and deploy African health workers in the fight against Ebola and to build long term local health capacity.

In partnership with the African Union, our mission is to mobilize resources to send much-needed health workers – drawn from within Africa – to the Ebola-afflicted countries. Under the operational coordination of the African Union Support to West Africa (ASEOWA), trained doctors and nurses will care for those infected, help contain the disease and strengthen local hospitals and care centers. Our vision is a resilient Africa that is able to respond effectively and rapidly in times of crisis.

Resource Mobilisation
The African Union recently introduced a campaign, #AfricaAgainstEbola, to mobilise citizens in the fight against the disease. SMS “Stop Ebola” to 7979 or visit the campaign's official website, http://www.africaagainstebola.org/ to donate $1 or for more information.