Gabon 
Gabon seals off "Ebola province"

afrol News, 8 January - While the Ebola death toll in Gabon has risen to 17 people in the inland province Ogooue-Ivindo, the Gabonese government now has deployed soldiers to isolate the affected area and counteract a further spread of the lethal haemorrhagic fever. 

According to the newest reports from the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) 33 confirmed cases of Ebola so far have been reported. These include 24 deaths (17 in Gabon, 7 in the Republic of the Congo/Congo Brazzaville). 

- Of these 33 confirmed cases, 20 cases have been detected in Gabon and 13 in villages close to the border between the two countries, the WHO, which is helping the government contain the virus, confirmed yesterday. "An additional 15 suspected cases in Gabon are under investigation."

The Gabonese government has confirmed it has moved to isolate the infected area to stop the possible further spread of the virus. People have been told not to enter or leave the area, and the military check points are to oversee the province's isolation.

The current Ebola outbreak started in the infamous Ogooue-Ivindo province, which also fell victim to an outbreak five years ago, killing 45 people. The current outbreak has been spread to nearby Congo Brazzaville by an infected person who "went to a traditional healer who lived in Congo-Brazzaville," according to the BBC.

Both the Gabonese and the Congolese health authorities are strongly involved in curbing the current Ebola outbreak. Gabon and Congo also receive substantial aid from international specialist teams, sent out by the WHO, the US Center for Disease Control (CDS), the International Centre of Medical Research in Franceville, Gabon, and other international partners. The Gabonese Red Cross Society is carrying out health education activities in the Gabonese villages. 

Although the Ebola virus is highly contagious and has a death toll of 50-90 percent (depending on the strain and treatment), Ebola outbreaks usually burn out within short after they have been effectively isolated. 

Ebola broke out in Gabon's Ogooue-Ivindo province late last year and was afterwards detected in neighbouring Congo. The disease is transmitted via direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person. 

There is no specific treatment or vaccine for the disease, which is often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, limited kidney and liver functions, and both internal and external bleeding. 

The last Ebola outbreak, earlier this year in Uganda, however showed that quick respond from health authorities and intensive treatment significantly reduced the fatality rate of the disease. 224 persons were killed in the Ugandan outbreak, which occurred in an area that was more difficult to isolate and thus managed to spread from its initial cluster.

Sources: Based on WHO, CDS, press reports and afrol archives 

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