By Nasratu Kargbo
National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre NaCOVERC’s Communication Pillar Lead, Harold Thomas has told Politico that their priority is to prevent the Marburg disease from entering Sierra Leone. He explained to Politico that they have formed a Rapid Response Team (RRT) that is currently at the country’s border districts.
He assured Sierra Leoneans that all health security measures have been put in place to protect Sierra Leone. Thomas noted that they are very vigilant and that they have activated all pillars which include case management, surveillance, laboratory and risk communication, in the event of the country recording a case.
Responding to whether the country is under a threat, Thomas said: “A threat anywhere is a threat everywhere”. He explained that due to the proximity between Sierra Leone and Guinea, they have activated the EOC to level two, which according to him is the highest of Incidence Command System in any country. He further explained that they applied this same system when the recent Ebola outbreak was declared in Guinea by working with counterparts in the neighbouring country. He said the cooperation helped in preventing Ebola from surfacing in Sierra Leone.
Thomas revealed that on a daily basis, they now conduct an Emergency Prepared and Response meeting and have been looking out for these diseases on a daily basis as per International Health Regulations (IHR) and Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response.
According to the BBC Radio, Guinea is the first country in West Africa to record a case of Margburg virus in a human, after a 46-year-old male resident at Temessadou Boket village was confirmed dead from the disease.
The WHO representative in Guinea, Dr. Georges Ki-Zerbo said the virus came just at the time the country is in a ninety day active surveillance having declared an end to the recent Ebola. Ki-Zerbo said their concern over the Marburg case is interrupting the chain of transmission as soon as possible, explaining that all the contacts of the case have been traced, and will be monitored for twenty one days, the time for maximum incubation.
He added that cross - border collaboration will be strengthened with neighboring countries more especially Liberia and Sierra Leone including population movement.
WHO experts are presently in Guinea and are busy supporting local health workers in the areas of risk assessment, community mobilization and screening of people.
Health Authorities in the Republic of Guinea have confirmed the presence of Marburg in the country. The disease was detected in Nzerekore region, Guekhedou Prefecture which shares borders with Kono and Kailahun districts. It’s been reported that the virus is said to spread through an infected bat and according to the Ministry’s report, the type of bats that possess this virus live in many parts of Africa, including Sierra Leone. It can be transmitted from bats to humans, and can spread through touching surfaces and items that possess body fluid of an infected person or through unprotected sex or contact with sores etc.
According to a report from Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Health and Sanitation, titled Marburg Fact Sheet, some of the symptoms of the disease are similar to Ebola and include fever, vomiting, nausea, headache and abdominal pain.
The report highlighted preventive measures such as avoiding touching of dead bodies that are suspected to be infected with the disease, washing of hands with soap and waters and using a hand sanitizer that has 60% alcohol.
Copyright © Politico Online (13/08/21)
