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Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health
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Cape Town - Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says there is no need for South Africans to panic following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
In a statement on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said South Africa remained on high alert and precautions were being taken to prevent the virus from entering the country. "Our surveillance activities are extremely effective," said Motsoaledi.
Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) - the largest in history - the health department in conjunction with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) issued an alert to officials at the country's ports of entry.
Read: The signs and symptoms of Ebola
This included the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). "The CAA held a meeting where all the stakeholders in the aviation industry were briefed on the EVD situation in West Africa," said Motsoaledi.
"The risks and the steps to mitigate the risks of importing an infected person into South Africa were discussed."
Read: Could Ebola hit South Africa?
Organisations transporting ill patients to South Africa were also represented at the meeting. Health care workers in the country have been ordered to keep an eye out for travellers who have visited West Africa.
"The department has been monitoring the EVD outbreak in West Africa through updates provided by the NICD, Promed, World Health Organisation, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention," said Motsoaledi.
Updates are provided to stakeholders for further circulation as they became available.
Take a look: How Ebola has spread across the world. Source unknown.
Read: Health workers on high alert to spot people with Ebola symptoms
This is important to keep stakeholders informed and to ensure that response capacity is maintained." The country's major airports were also ready to deal with any possible cases of ebola.
Read: Exclusive interview with woman fleeing Sierra Leone
"The OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria Airport have thermal scanners that detect travellers with raised temperatures," said Motsoaledi.
"These travellers, when identified, are assessed at the medical facilities at these airports."
One of the concerns is the fact that the incubation period (time between infection and showing symptoms of Ebola) ranges from two days to 21 days, which means infected people will not be picked up by thermal scanners.
The virus has killed more than 670 people. There are several strains of Ebola. Genome sampling of infected patients has suggested that the current outbreak is due to the Zaire strain, which is the deadliest strain known to man and has already killed 672 people with a reported 1 200 being infected.
Health24 note:
British foreign secretary, Phillip Hammond, has declared the situation of "great concern" and will chair a meeting of the UK's COBRA Emergency Committee later this week. They say that Ebola is a threat that the UK needs to respond to.
Doctors are told to remain vigilant via an alert sent 1 July 2014 and border staff are already trained to deal with Ebola cases.
Watch: Growing fears over Ebola in Australia. Video from NineMNS The Today Show
If Britian and Australia are taking this seriously, do you think we should too? Do you think we need to be more concerned? Let us know in the comments.
Read more:
Signs and symptoms of Ebola
Doctor who lead the fight against Ebola dies
How the Western Cape has prepared for Ebola
Stay up to date with all Ebola news
In a statement on Wednesday, Motsoaledi said South Africa remained on high alert and precautions were being taken to prevent the virus from entering the country. "Our surveillance activities are extremely effective," said Motsoaledi.
Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) - the largest in history - the health department in conjunction with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) issued an alert to officials at the country's ports of entry.
Read: The signs and symptoms of Ebola
This included the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). "The CAA held a meeting where all the stakeholders in the aviation industry were briefed on the EVD situation in West Africa," said Motsoaledi.
"The risks and the steps to mitigate the risks of importing an infected person into South Africa were discussed."
Read: Could Ebola hit South Africa?
Organisations transporting ill patients to South Africa were also represented at the meeting. Health care workers in the country have been ordered to keep an eye out for travellers who have visited West Africa.
"The department has been monitoring the EVD outbreak in West Africa through updates provided by the NICD, Promed, World Health Organisation, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention," said Motsoaledi.
Updates are provided to stakeholders for further circulation as they became available.
Take a look: How Ebola has spread across the world. Source unknown.
Read: Health workers on high alert to spot people with Ebola symptoms
This is important to keep stakeholders informed and to ensure that response capacity is maintained." The country's major airports were also ready to deal with any possible cases of ebola.
Read: Exclusive interview with woman fleeing Sierra Leone
"The OR Tambo International Airport and Lanseria Airport have thermal scanners that detect travellers with raised temperatures," said Motsoaledi.
"These travellers, when identified, are assessed at the medical facilities at these airports."
One of the concerns is the fact that the incubation period (time between infection and showing symptoms of Ebola) ranges from two days to 21 days, which means infected people will not be picked up by thermal scanners.
The virus has killed more than 670 people. There are several strains of Ebola. Genome sampling of infected patients has suggested that the current outbreak is due to the Zaire strain, which is the deadliest strain known to man and has already killed 672 people with a reported 1 200 being infected.
Health24 note:
British foreign secretary, Phillip Hammond, has declared the situation of "great concern" and will chair a meeting of the UK's COBRA Emergency Committee later this week. They say that Ebola is a threat that the UK needs to respond to.
Doctors are told to remain vigilant via an alert sent 1 July 2014 and border staff are already trained to deal with Ebola cases.
Watch: Growing fears over Ebola in Australia. Video from NineMNS The Today Show
If Britian and Australia are taking this seriously, do you think we should too? Do you think we need to be more concerned? Let us know in the comments.
Read more:
Signs and symptoms of Ebola
Doctor who lead the fight against Ebola dies
How the Western Cape has prepared for Ebola
Stay up to date with all Ebola news
