Jamaica govt have a responsibility towards its ppl, to WHO and to caricom. **********************************Jamaica denies rumours of suspected case of Ebola virus SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 KINGSTON, Jamaica, Saturday September 27, 2014, CMC – Jamaican health authorities are denying rumours of a suspected case of the deadly Ebola virus on the island. The virus has been blamed for over 3,000 deaths in West Africa. Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kevin Harvey, said no suspected case of the disease is being investigated. “We are not investigating a suspected case and we have no reason to consider that anyone in the country at this time is suspected of having Ebola,” he said. The rumours started when a doctor, who had recently returned to the island from Trinidad and Tobago, was admitted to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), with a reported case of bleeding. But Dr. Harvey said the 65-year old senior physician has fully recovered and “there is no consideration of a diagnosis of Ebola. “He has been comprehensively investigated by our medical team, has recovered, has had investigations including a computerised tomography (CT) scan, which shows that the person had a fracture to the skull due to a fall, which resulted in the bleeding,” he said, noting that the doctor had not travelled to any Ebola-affected country and there was no possibility of contact with any infected person. At the time that the doctor was admitted to UHWI, an Ebola planning meeting and training for medical officers was underway at the facility, and this, Dr. Harvey surmised, may have led to the rumours. “So, maybe that is what heightened the suspicion yesterday,” he said. Meanwhile, Dr. Harvey said sensitisation briefings have been undertaken for all senior members of the island’s medical teams as well as discussions and joint meetings with other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, and partners, such as the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). He said there is a surveillance system in place to identify and isolate persons should the need arise. The Acting Permanent Secretary is, however, reminding Jamaicans to avoid nonessential travel to countries where the virus has been confirmed. These include: Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ebola is a rare and deadly disease, which is caused by infection with one of the Ebola viruses. It is spread by direct contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids and may also spread by contact with contaminated objects or infected animals. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for Ebola, and up to 50 per cent of persons, who get the disease, die. Symptoms include fever, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. Skin rash, red eyes, and internal and external bleeding may be seen in some patients.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 15:01:59 +0000
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