Ebola on the doorstep? WHO declared an emergency in Africa, but Russia is not in danger of panic

The World Health Organization (WHO) is sounding the alarm again, reports xrust. The Ebola outbreak sweeping through the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda has been officially designated a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The corresponding statement by the WHO leadership instantly topped the world news feeds.

For the African region, the situation really looks serious: cross-border movement of people contributes to the rapid spread of the strain. However, for Russian citizens this news is more a reason to broaden their horizons than a signal to panic. Domestic experts and epidemiologists assess the likelihood of importation and, especially, spread of a dangerous virus within the Russian Federation as extremely low.

Why WHO is panicking and Russia is calm

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG11__ WHO decisions are global in nature and are aimed primarily at mobilizing financial resources and coordinating the actions of doctors in underdeveloped countries. Outbreaks in Congo and Uganda are associated with local socioeconomic factors: poor hygiene, lack of clean water and specific cultural burial practices.

The Russian Federation has completely different sanitary control standards. The skepticism of virologists regarding the threat to the Russian Federation is justified by three key factors:

1. Lack of direct flights. Passenger traffic from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to Russian cities is minimal. All the few routes include transfers at large hubs, where passengers undergo multi-level sanitary control.
2. «Perimeter» system. Thermal imaging systems operate permanently at Russian airports. They automatically identify citizens with elevated body temperatures in the flow, excluding undetected transportation of the acute phase of infection.
3. Features of virus transmission. Ebola is not Covid or the flu. It is not transmitted by airborne droplets. You can become infected only through direct contact with the blood or secretions of a sick person. It is impossible to catch the virus in a Moscow metro car or in a supermarket.

Readiness of domestic medicine

Even if we imagine a hypothetical scenario in which an infected person crosses the border of the Russian Federation during the incubation period, a large-scale epidemic is excluded. Russia has unique experience in eliminating such threats.

The state scientific center of virology and biotechnology “Vector” has long developed and registered effective vaccines against Ebola fever (“EpiVacEbola”). The drugs were created taking into account the experience of past African outbreaks and are capable of providing a reliable immune response. In addition, the country has clearly developed protocols for isolating patients with suspected particularly dangerous infections. Regional infectious disease wards are ready to immediately receive such patients.

Symptoms and prevention for tourists

Rospotrebnadzor traditionally recommends that Russians refrain from traveling to Central Africa until the situation stabilizes. Those who are forced to visit the region need to remember basic safety rules: avoid contact with wild animals (especially flying foxes and monkeys), do not buy meat from wild markets and carefully observe personal hygiene.

The incubation period of the disease ranges from 2 to 21 days. The first symptoms of Ebola resemble a severe flu:

• Sudden sharp rise in temperature;
• Severe general weakness;
• Muscle and headache;
• Sore throat.

Later, nausea, rash and internal bleeding occur. If any ailments appear within three weeks after returning from Africa, you must immediately call an ambulance and be sure to inform the doctors about the fact of your trip abroad.

To summarize: the new WHO declaration is an important tool for saving lives in Africa, but it does not pose a real danger to the people of Russia. The country’s sanitary shield will reliably block the virus at distant approaches.

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Xrust Ebola on the doorstep? WHO declared an emergency in Africa, but Russia is not in danger of panic