MOSCOW, October 29 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova — Eighty-two people which had been exposed to a child who died of Ebola last week have been put under close observation for the deadly disease in Mali.
"Health workers are monitoring 82 people who had contact with a toddler who died of Ebola in Mali last week, but no new cases of the disease have been reported yet," Reuters reported, citing World Health Organization (WHO) spokesman Tarik Jasarevic.
The 2-year-old Ebola victim had been transported by her grandmother from Guinea through the territory of Mali by bus. The girl had traveled hundreds of kilometers and was eventually hospitalized in Kayes on October 20, but died from Ebola few days later. Since the child was contagious before reaching Kayes, dozens of people she had contacts with could have caught the virus, the WHO warns. "The deadly disease can take up to 21 days to show up in a patient," Reuters underscored, citing Tarik Jasarevic.
Mali is the sixth country in West Africa to have been struck by Ebola. Jasarevic stressed that three WHO health officials have already arrived in Mali in order to examine Ebola preparedness and contain the virus before it can claim new lives. The WHO spokesman underscored that the establishment of a "treatment center in Kayes was being discussed," while "40 volunteers had been trained in contact tracing," which is believed to be one of the most important defenses against the epidemic.
Meanwhile, the Kayes region's frightened residents are trying to get prepared so that they may counter the spread of the deadly virus. Sayon Traore, the wife of the village chief, has organized womens groups aimed at "combating rumors, fears and misconceptions about the disease," and "keeping members of the community informed about the Ebola virus and prevention measures, including surveillance of the disease," the UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund) reported.
“I first started by teaching my own family about good hygiene and prevention practices. I warned my seven children and my grandchildren about how Ebola is transmitted. I particularly stressed the need to be mindful when hunting and avoid touching wild animals whenever possible. I taught them how to properly wash their hands using soap, as I was myself instructed at the health center," Sayon Traore said, as cited by the UNICEF web source.
However, experts warn that Mali, one of the world's poorest countries, is not prepared enough to contain the Ebola outbreak. Furthermore, the country is still suffering from the attacks of northern Islamist militants.
