Ebola: Guinea to quarantine 816 people after latest flare up

Guinea has said it has traced about 816 people who may have come in contact with victims of the disease or their corpses during a recent flare-up. 

The recent flare-up occurred in a village in the Southeastern part of Guinea. 

Health official in the country has on Thursday said it had discovered new cases of Ebola few hours after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared neighbouring Sierra Leone’s latest outbreak over. Four people have died in the flare-up in Porokpara.

Fode Tass Sylla, spokesman for the coordination unit, said: “Since the start of the tracing on Saturday, we have traced 816 contacts in 107 families."

“We are optimistic because everyone is motivated and cooperating.

"The villagers will be quarantined in their homes for 21 days, after which time, if they have not developed symptoms, they will be released," Sylla said.

Ebola is estimated to have killed about 2,500 people there by December last year when the WHO announced an end to active transmission in the country.

More than 28,600 people have been infected and 11,300 have died since the onset of the epidemic in December 2013.

The World Health Organization continues to warn that there is an increased risk of flare-up due to the ability of the virus to remain in individuals who have been previously treated of the disease. 

Sierra Leone declared Ebola-free for the 2nd time

There is good news from Sierra Leone after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the West African country Ebola-free for the second time. This is following a flare-up of the virus in the country. 

The WHO said this was because two incubation cycles of the virus, 42 days, have passed since the last confirmed case of the Ebola virus disease in the country tested negative for a second time.

The health body commended the government, people and its partners for their quick and efficient reaction to the latest outbreak. It, however, stressed that the country remained at risk for more flare-up because of the ability of the virus to persist in the body of survivors. Same warning was also issued about Liberia and Guinea and enjoined the three nations to remain on high alert for any possible flare-ups. 

WHO said it remained committed to working closely with the government of Sierra Leone and partners to build a more resilient health system. This, it said, was to prevent, detect and respond swiftly to future outbreaks.

Guinea to be declared free of Ebola virus

Guinea has been declared Ebola-free about two years after the epidemic began there. The virus, which claimed 2,536 lives, has left many children as orphans in the country. It is estimated that 6,220 children lost one or both parents according to data provided by the United Nations.

A country is declared free of the virus 42 days after the recovery or death of the final patient and if there are no new infection in that time. This declaration leaves Liberia as the only country which infected individuals. New cases have emerged in Liberia who had been declared Ebola-free in September. 

According to the World Health Organization, there have been about 11,315 probable, confirmed and suspected deaths from the deadly disease with majority of the victims from Liberia. Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria also recorded mortality cases from the virus. More than 100 health workers also lost their lives in the fight against the disease.