The world is alarmed by the deadly Ebola virus.
The disease has spread in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Due to this, everything that goes in and out of these regions goes through a health screening. It is announced that many countries have taken necessary measures against the spreading of the virus.
Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma, declared the condition to be an emergency in order to avoid the deadly Ebola epidemic. Koroma stated that the virus’s epicentre in the eastern region will be quarantined and have ordered security forces to take necessary measures.
DISINFECTANT BOXES FOR 5,000 FAMILIES
The IHH team located in Sierra Leone distributed hygiene boxes to 5,000 families. Each family has hygiene boxes which have enough disinfectant supplies to last for 1 month for each family.
IHH’s Sierra Leone representative Haci Bayram Sahin described the situation in the following manner:
"60 percent of Sierra Leone’s population is Muslim and according to the UN it is one of the world's poorest four countries. The average lifespan is 45 years old. 2 out of every 5 children are unable to see their 5th birthday. There is no cure for the disease over here. Due to rumours, people do not take their patents to the hospital because they say once they are taken into hospital they are injected with a needle and killed. If they take their patients to the hospital they will be able to prevent the epidemic from spreading. We have no knowledge of who is dying at home on their own or who they have been in contact with. Due to the lack of technical facilities in hospitals the virus cannot be treated. Patients have stopped going to hospitals for normal illnesses because they are scared that they will be infected with Ebola. People have died from these sorts of simple diseases. The most important necessities of Ebola are accurate information and cleaning materials. If people pay attention to the simple rules of hygiene they may be able to prevent this disease from spreading. Schools have gone on holiday, football matches and flights were cancelled. The government has announced that the outbreak will take up to 90 days. There are no other civil society organizations to help here either."
EBOLA EPIDEMIC
According to the DSO data, since they 4th of August 171 new cases of Ebola was identified and 932 people have lost their lives due to this disease in West Africa’s Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone region.
The virus which leads to Ebola does not spread though water or air, it spreads through the body fluids of patients. So far the virus has spread to relatives who have come in contact with the patient and health care workers who have not taken adequate precautions.
The viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Ebola virus, sudden fever, nausea, intense weakness, muscle aches, sore throat and headaches are all signs of the virus. In addition to the symptoms above vomiting, diarrhea, kidney, liver function impairment and in some cases internal and external bleeding follow. There is no cure or vaccine for the virus which is transmitted through contact and the death rate has reached 90 percent.
