The Federal Ministry of Health has issued a circular alerting the general public to a resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus in neighboring Guinea.
Guinea which is a west African country like Nigeria has been devastated in the past by the deadly Ebola virus. The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria issued a written advisory to the Ministry of Health alerting the Minister to the resurgence of the Ebola Virus in Guinea Conakry. The Liberian government has also requested that the Nigerian authorities take all necessary measure to avoid further spread of the deadly virus. The circular also stated that all relevant first responders and agencies were being prepared and instructed departmental and programme heads to initiate measure for an appropriate National response.
The circular is here reproduced.
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING RESEARCH AND STATISTICS
To: All Heads of Departments and Programmes
Ref No: DHPRS 2/19/18/1
19th April 2021
SUBJECT : RE: RESURGENCE OF THE DEADLY EBOLA IN GUINEA
INTERNAL CIRCULAR
The Ministry is in receipt of a letter from the Minsitry of Foreign Affairs with Ref No. CWB/3/XXXII informing Nigeria of the recent outbreak and resurgence of the deadly virus of Ebola virus in Guinea Conakry which has devastated the country in the past.
- In view of the above the Liberian government has requested the Nigerian authorities to take necessary measures to avoid the further spread of the deadly virus.
- While the relevant technical departments/agencies are working on the national response and institution appropriate measure, you are to also be mindful of this outbreak and its implications to the West Africa (WA) sub region and be guided accordingly.
- Please treat as important.
Dr Ngozi Azodoh
Director, Planning Research and Statistics For Honorable Minister.
The letter also contained a hand written directive to disseminate the information to relevant institutions under the Federal Ministry of Health.
The World Health Organization in Africa (WHO Africa) says has reported its first new case of Ebola in the West African nation of Guinea after 27 days with no new confirmed infections. The case was registered in Soulouta village of the southeastern N'Zerekore region after none had been reported since March 4, 2021. This brings the number of Ebola cases in Guinea to 19, including eight registered deaths, disrupting the countdown that began on March 24, 2021.
The WHO Regional Office for Africa has continued to support case management, surveillance and community engagement efforts, and remains on high alert supporting Guinean health authorities in surveillance efforts & preparedness in neighboring areas. The WHO had announced the recovery of the last Ebola patient in the West African country on March 24, thereby triggering the countdown to formalize the end of the epidemic after 42 days without a new case. A vaccination campaign was launched on Feb. 23 and more than 3,200 people, including 529 contacts, were vaccinated following the delivery of 11,000 doses of the Ebola Zebrov vaccine.
Ebola is a tropical fever transmitted to humans from wild animals. It was first discovered in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976. It caused global alarm in 2014 - 2016 when it swept through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone killing more than 11,300 people and infecting an estimated 28,600.
Reference: Ndiaye A, 2021, New Ebola Case Reported In Guinea, accessed at https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/new-ebola-case-reported-in-guinea/2196118