The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is mobilizing resources to help the Republic of Congo Red Cross deal with an outbreak of the highly dangerous Ebola haemorrhagic fever, in which more than 60 people have died over the last two months.
"Ebola is devastating and terrifying. It can kill those who care for the sick, and those who perform funeral rites," says International Federation senior epidemiologist, Dr. Bernard Morinière.
There is an urgent need for preventive measures and public information to stop this highly contagious disease spreading. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched an appeal for over 176,000 Swiss francs (US$ 130,000) to help 50,000 people for three months in remote parts of the Republic of Congo.
"Enforcing effective control measures while establishing trust and respecting the fears, traditions and beliefs of the community is very difficult in a context of death and despair," Morinière says. “Community-based Red Cross volunteers can play a crucial role as a trusted bridge that is often lacking in such situations.”
The Congolese Red Cross, which has 62 volunteers trained in techniques to combat ebola, has been involved in assessing the situation on the ground together with the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and other agencies. It has also been attempting to heighten awareness of the disease, identify suspected cases, enforce isolation and infection control measures and promote good practices among the local population – these include not eating bushmeat or touching dead animals, and adopting safe practices during funeral rites.
The outbreak has been concentrated in the remote forest districts of Etoumbi, Mbomo and Kellé, near the border with Gabon. It began in a hunting region where an earlier Ebola epidemic raged in 2001 and 2002. This time, the authorities were alerted when gorillas and chimpanzees started dying in December.
The disease is characterized by fever, diarrhoea, severe blood loss, and intense fatigue. There is no treatment against the virus. The best way of halting its spread is through prevention and prompt detection and isolation of suspected cases.
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