Ebola is now also scaring people in the Czech Republic. The disease has its first dozens of fatalities.
An American remains at the Prague Bulovka University Hospital for about three weeks due to a possible Ebola infection. This is certainly not the only such case. In the meantime, the World Health Organization has declared the epidemic a public health emergency of international concern. What exactly is this disease?
Ebola represents one of the most dangerous infections humanity has ever encountered. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals, and the initial symptoms can resemble those of flu or malaria, making early detection of the infection difficult. It first appeared in 1976 in several African countries—primarily in Congo, Gabon, Uganda, and Sudan. It was named after the eponymous Congolese river near where its occurrence was initially recorded. Over 300 people were infected at that time. The greatest disaster caused by Ebola occurred approximately 20 years later, when an extensive epidemic hit Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal, and Nigeria. The result? More than 28,000 infected and 11,000 dead!
More than 100 dead
The disease has been making its presence known again in recent weeks. The number of suspected cases has reached 600, according to the television station Al Jazeera. Around 140 people have already died according to the mentioned source.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization stated in this context that he is deeply concerned about the scale of the epidemic and its spread. The head of this organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has already declared the epidemic an international public health emergency.
"I did not take this lightly. I am deeply concerned about the scope and speed of the epidemic's spread,"
his words were quoted by ČTK.
Poor healthcare system worsens the situation
The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and neighboring Uganda a continental public health emergency. This declaration has meanwhile mobilized additional resources, including emergency response teams and surveillance operations.
The head of the center, Jean Kaseya, meanwhile pointed out that the outbreak is located in one of the most complex operational environments on the continent. The area is characterized by uncertainty, population mobility, and fragile healthcare systems.
According to experts, children are the most vulnerable. The problem could be exacerbated by alarming malnutrition, which is characteristic of the region, as it weakens the immune system of those residing there, in combination with extremely limited access to healthcare in remote areas.
Against the viral disease Ebola of the Bundibugyo strain, which complicates the situation, there is reportedly no specific vaccine or targeted treatment. Protection thus relies mainly on rapid case finding, isolation of the sick, and strict hygiene measures.
The United States "closes the door," Europe remains calm for now
Some countries have already implemented restrictive measures. According to the The Washington Post, the United States is among them. They reportedly prevented one of the doctors, who contracted Ebola while working in the Congo, from returning home. Instead, he ended up in a Berlin hospital.
The American government, through its spokesperson, claims that the only reason is that the German Charité hospital is internationally recognized as one of the best facilities in the world for treating and managing viral diseases, such as Ebola, at the same level as leading facilities here in the United States.
The European Union is generally downplaying the concerns about the disease. The risk of an outbreak on the old continent is reportedly "very low."
"We know that diseases do not stop at borders, and this applies to Ebola as well,"
spokesperson for the European Commission Eva Hrnčírová told journalists and added that there is no indication that Europeans should do anything other than follow standard health recommendations.
First Case in the Czech Republic?
Nevertheless, in recent days, Ebola has been a topic of discussion almost everywhere here as well. The reason is an American doctor who is in Bulovka Hospital in Prague.
This man is in isolation at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases, which has a special biobox for such cases, an airtight transparent tent inside a room with its own air filtration.
„The patient goes directly into facilities that are completely separated from other areas of our clinic. The patient remains in this space until the end of the isolation,"
described the situation by the head of the local Clinic of Infectious Diseases Hana Roháčová. According to the Ministry of Health, all costs for the stay of the American doctor will be covered by the United States.
Upon arrival at the Ruzyně airport, where the plane with him landed late Wednesday night, medics and firefighters decontaminated the man. However, it is not yet clear whether the man is actually infected with Ebola. According to available information, he has no symptoms. Until symptoms appear, he will only be observed in the hospital, and no examinations will be conducted. If symptoms appear, the Czech Republic will send his samples to a specialized laboratory in Berlin, which will confirm the diagnosis within hours. Further steps according to the hospital will depend on the clinical development of the isolated American's health.
"For the public and the hospital's regular operation, the situation does not pose a risk,"
the hospital wrote on the network X regarding the hospitalization of a man. Further steps, according to the hospital, will depend on the clinical development of the health of the isolated American.
Sources: original article, ČTK, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera, network X, Wikipedia
